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CIHM/ICMH 

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12X 


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32X 


lire 

details 
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re 


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method: 


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Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grend  pour  Atre 
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de  Tangle  supArieur  gauche,  de  geuche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenent  le  nombre 
d'images  nAcesseire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
lllustrent  le  mAthode. 


ty  errata 
Bd  to 

int 

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12  3 


32X 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

HISTORY 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN, 


FBOH  ITS 


FIRST  EXPLORATION  BY  THE  FRENCH 


IN   1609, 


TO  THE 


CLOSE  OF  THE  YEAR  1814. 


BT 


PETER   S.   PALMER 


ALBANY,  N.  Y. : 
J.  MDNSELL,  78  STATE  STREET. 
18  6  6. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1863, 

B7  Peteb  S.  Pai^hieb, 

In  tlie  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Conrt  of  the  United  States, 
for  the  Northern  District  of  New  York. 


90 


THEODORUS  BAILEY  MYERS,  ESQ., 

LIBRABIAN  OF  THE 

AM.   GEOGRAPHICAL  AND  STATISTICAL  SOCIETY,  ETC.,  ETC., 
Untiring  Collector  of  American  Hiatorical  Antiquities, 

WHO  HAS 

Sthfathized  warmly  in  the  Compilation  op  this  Sketch, 
Designed  to  aid  in  perpetuating  the  Bistort  of  a 
Region  in  which  our  Forefathers 
"  WERE  Settlers, 

ffil)i»  tocrk  ^ 

IS  RESPECTFULLY  DEDICATED, 

BT 

mS  FRISin)  AIH)  KINSMAN, 

PETER  SAILLY  PALMER. 


.^:-t 


LAKE   CHAMPLAIN. 


INTRODUCTION. 

General  Description  of  tho  Lake  and  of  the  most  Important  Points  along  its 
BordtT!*  —  Ancient  and  modern  Names  of  Places  —  Distances  —  Old  Forts 
—  Scenery  —  Original  Indian  Name. 

Lake  Ciiamplain  extends  from  43°  30'  to  45°  north 
latitude,  and  lies  between  Vermont  and  New  York — tho 
boundary  line  of  those  states  running  through  its  centre. 
The  lake  is  ninety  miles  long,  in  a  right  line  from  north  to 
south,  with  a  length  of  coast,  on  either  side,  of  about  one 
hundred  and  twenty-five  miles :  its  southern  extremity,  or 
head,  being  at  Whitehall,  and  its  northern  near  the  bounda- 
ry line  between  the  United  States  and  Canada.  The  lake 
varies  in  width  from  one-fourth  of  a  mile  to  thirteen  miles, 
and  covers  an  area  of  about  five  hundred  square  miles.  It 
receives  the  waters  of  Lake  George,  at  Ticonderoga,  and 
discharges  itself  into  the  St.  Lawrence,  through  the  river 
Richelieu.  There  is  no  perceivable  current  in  the  body  of 
the  lake,  and  its  waters,  at  ordinary  stages,  pass  into  the 
Richelieu  with  a  velocity  of  only  (.ne-third  of  a  mile  per 
hour. 

The  lake  has  two  arms;  one  on  in;  west  side,  near  its 
southern  extremity,  called  South  Bay,  the  other  on  the  east 
side,  near  its  northern  extremity,  called  Missisco  Bay.  This 
last  mentioned  bay  stretches  into  Canada  and  covers  about 
thirty-five  square  miles.  The  area  of  country  drained  into 
the  lake  is  variously  estimated  from  seven  thousand  to  nine 
1 


2 


LAKE  CUAMPLAIN. 


thousand  square  miles.  It  probably  approaches  nearest  to 
the  larger  estimate.  Numerous  rivers  and  creeks  discharge 
themselves  into  the  lake,  among  the  principal  of  which  are, 
on  the  New  York  side,  Wood  Creek,'  the  outlet  of  Lake 
George,  the  Bouquet,  Great  and  Little  Ausable,  the  Salmon, 
the  Saranac,  and  the  IJig  and  Little  Chazy  rivers.  On  the 
Vermont  side  are  the  Poultney  lliver,  Otter  Creek,  and  the 
Winooski,  Lamoille  and  Missisco  rivers.  The  lake  is  sub- 
ject to  a  rise  and  fall  of  from  six  to  eight  feet  during  the 
year  ;  the  waters  attaining  their  greatest  height  about  the 
twentieth  of  May,  after  which  they  fall  gradually,  until 
about  the  twentieth  of  September,  when  they  usually  reach 
the  lower  level  of  the  remainder  of  the  season. 

Lake  Champlain  commences  at  the  junction  of  Wood 
Creek  with  East  Bay,  in  the  town  of  Whitehall.  The  In- 
dian name  of  this  place  was  Kuh-cho-qmth-na,  the  place 
where  dip  fish.  Philip  Skene,  an  English  major  under 
half  pay,  located  there  in  1763,  and  established  a  settlement 
at  the  mouth  of  Wood  Creek,  which  was  called  Skenesbo- 
rough.  This,  for  many  years,  was  the  moat  important  settle- 
ment upon  Lake  Champlain.  In  1773  it  numbered  seventy- 
three  families,  all  of  whom,  with  but  two  exceptions,  were 
Skene's  tenants.  The  name  of  the  town  was  changed  to 
Whitehall  in  1788. 

About  two  miles  north  of  the  village  of  Whitehall  is 
South  Bay,  an  arm  of  the  lake  seven  miles  long  and  one  mile 
wide,  extending  to  the  south-west  and  separating  the  town  of 
Whitehall  from  the  town  of  Dresden.  It  was  on  the  shores 
of  this  bay  that  the  Baron  de  Dieskau  landed,  in  1775,  with 
an  army  of  fifteen  hundred  French  and  Indians,  when 
marching  against  the  English  encampment  at  the  head  of 
Lake  George. 


flv^ 


>Called  by  the  Dutch  Hout  Kil,  and  by  the  French  Riviere  Chicot. 


i 


LAKE  CUAMPlAiy. 


8 


Twenty-four  miles  below  Whitehall  is  old  Fort  Ticonde- 
roga  on  the  west,  Mount  Independence  on  the  cast  .side  of 
the  lake.  Here  the  waters  of  Lake  Georj^e  dischar<j;o  them- 
selves into  Lake  Chauiplain  throuj,'h  an  outlet  called,  by  the 
Indians,  Chromltrotju.  The  French  erected  a  fortress  here  in 
175G,  which  they  called  Fort  Carillon,  and  which  was  a  place 
of  great  strength.  Mount  Defiance  lies  on  the  south  side  of 
the  mouth  of  the  outlet  of  Lake  George,  opposite  Ticonde- 
roga.  The  summit  of  this  mountain  is  seven  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  above  the  lake,  and  within  cannon  shot  of  the  old 
fortress. 

Twelve  miles  north  of  Ticonderoga  is  Crown  Point,  called 
by  the  French  Pointe  a  la  Chevelure.  Here  the  French 
built  a  fort  in  1731,  which  they  called  Fort  St.  Frederic. 
The  fort  was  destroyed  by  them  on  their  retreat  to  Canada 
in  1759,  and  the  same  year  General  Amherst  commenced  a 
much  larger  work,  the  ruins  of  which  are  still  to  be  seen. 

Opposite  Crown  Point  is  a  landing  place  called  Chimney 
Point,  which  was  settled  by  the  French  about  the  time  they 
commenced  building  Fort  St.  Frederic,  and  was  destroyed  by 
them  in  1759.  So  complete  was  the  destruction  of  the  set- 
tlement that  when  the  English  arrived,  a  few  days  after 
the  retreat  of  the  French,  they  saw  nothing  but  the  black- 
ened chimneys  of  the  consumed  houses,  standing  as  grim 
sentinels  amid  the  surrounding  ruin.  These  chimneys  were 
permitted  to  stand  for  years,  and  gave  to  that  locality  the 
name  of  Chimney  Point;  a  name  it  yet  retains. 

For  more  than  fifty  years,  the  waters  between  Crown  Point 
and  Whitehall  have  been  included  within  the  limits  of  Lake 
Champlain,  but  in  the  older  histories  and  maps  of  the  coun- 
try the  passage  between  these  places  is  frequently  called 
Wood  Creek  and  South  Bay.     Kalmi    speaks  of  that  part 


» Kalm's  Travdi,  1749. 


LAKE  CIIAMPLAIS. 


of  tho  lake  wdutli  of  Crown  l*oint  as  "  the  river  which 
comes  out  of  tho  l^ukc  8t.  Sucreinent  to  Lake  Chainphiin," 
ami  n^nin  a.s  "Wood  Creek  which  flows  to  Fort  Ht.  Fred- 
eric." Doctor  Thachor,  wlio  was  stationed  at  Ticonderoga 
in  1777,  refers  to  South  IJay  us  exteudinj^  from  that  i)lnco 
to  Hkenesborouyh,  "  u  distance  of  tliirty  miles."  These 
changes  in  the  name  applied  at  difi'crent  periods  to  the  nar- 
row part  of  the  lake  should  be  carefully  noted.  1  have  refer- 
red to  them  at  this  time  to  guard  the  reader  against  the 
confusion  which  they  have  frecjuently  produced,  and  to  ex- 
plain an  occasional  apparent  discrepancy  between  this  work 
and  the  narratives  hero  collected. 

Two  miles  north  of  Crown  Point,  and  on  the  same  side 
of  the  lake,  is  Port  Henry,  and  about  eleven  miles  further 
north  is  Northwest  Bay,  called  Bale  du  liuchcr  Fcndus 
in  Sauthier's  map  of  1779.  The  village  of  AVestport  stands 
at  the  foot  of  this  bay.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  lake, 
about  ten  miles  norm  of  Crown  Point,  is  a  small  bay  in  which 
Arnold  grounded  and  burned  his  galley  and  five  gondolas, 
after  the  engagement  with  the  English  of  the  13th  October, 
1776.  Otter  Creek,  called  by  the  French  La  Riviire  axix 
Loutres,  empties  into  the  lake  about  seven  miles  north  of 
this  spot.  The  creek  is  navigable  for  lake  vessels  as  far  up 
as  the  falls  at  Yergennes,  a  distance  of  eight  miles.  In 
this  creek,  Macdonough  fitted  out  the  fleet  with  which  he 
gained  the  victory  of  the  11th  of  September,  1814.  In  tho 
course  of  the  last  war,  a  small  breast-work  was  thrown  up  on 
the  north  side  of  the  creek  at  its  mouth,  where  Lieutenant  Cas- 
ein of  the  navy,  and  Captain  Thornton  of  the  artillery,  with 
two  hundred  men,  repulsed  a  large  British  force,  sent  out 
from  Canada  to  destroy  the  American  fleet  fitting  out  at 
Vergennes.  A  few  miles  north,  and  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  lake,  is  Split  Rock,  called  by  the  French  liocher  Fendu. 
This  rock   has  always  been   considered  a  great   natural 


LAKE  CUAMPLAiy. 


6 


curiosity.  Tt  projects  one  Imiulred  luul  fifty  feet  Into  tho 
lake,  ami  in  clcvatcil  al)OUt  thirty  feet  ubove  the  level  of  tho 
water.  The  part  detaclied  eontaius  half  an  acre,  and  i.^  se- 
l)arated  from  the  main  rock  by  a  channel  about  fifteen  feet 
wide.  The  prominences  and  cavities  of  the  opposing  sides 
arc  said  to  correspond  ;  and  hence  tho  popular  opinion  that 
this  rock  was  separated  from  the  main  land  l»y  an  earth- 
quake,' but  Professor  Emmons,  who  examined  it  particu- 
larly, supposes  the  separation  to  have  been  oeeasioned  by 
tho  wearing  uwuy  or  decomposition  of  an  intermediate  masa 
of  rock  containing  a  large  quantity  of  pyritous  iron. 

The  lake  between  Split  Hock  and  Thompson's  I'oint,  for- 
merly called  Pointe  Rcjiochnc,  is  not  quite  one  mile  wide.  A 
light-house  has  been  erected  upon  the  main  land,  a  few  rods 
south  of  the  rock.  From  tliis  point  the  lake  increases  ia 
width  as  it  extends  towards  the  north.  Between  Essex  and 
Charlotte,  four  miles  north,  it  is  three  miles  wide.  Opposite 
Burlington  it  is  nine  and  three-quarters  milei ,  and  from  shore 
to  shore,  opposite  Plattsburgh,  about  thirteen  miles  wide. 

Between  Essex  and  Charlotte  is  Sloop  Island,  so  called  be- 
cause an  English  vessel  of  war,  during  the  revolution,  fired 
upon  it,  mistaking  in  a  fog  the  stump  of  a  pine  tree  stand- 
ing near  its  centre  for  the  mast  of  a  sloop.     A  short  dis- 


'In  the  winter  of  16G3  there  was  a  severe  earthquake  in  Canada. 
"  Lakes  appeared  where  none  ever  existed  before ;  mountains 
were  overtlirown  ;  rivers  soukIu  other  beds  or  totally  disappeared. 
Tho  earth  and  the  mountains  entirely  split  and  rent  in  innuraer. 
able  places,  creating  chasms  and  precipices,  whose  depths  have 
never  been  ascertained."— yeawiVs'  Relatwn,  1G63. 

"On  the  fifth  of  February  we  had  an  earthquake  which  continued 
during  half  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  sufficiently  strong  to  extort  from 
us  a  good  act  of  contrition.  It  was  repeated  from  time  to  time 
during  nine  days  and  was  perceptible  until  the  Inst  of  the  month, 
but  always  diminishing." — Jiaron  d'  Avaugotir  to  the  French  Minister, 
4th  August,  1GG3. 


i 


6 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


tance  below  Essex,  on  the  New  York  side,  is  the  mouth  of 
the  Bouquet  River.  At  the  falls,  two  miles  up  this  river, 
Burgoyne  encamped  and  gave  a  war  feast  to  a  party  of  about 
four  hundred  Indians,  previous  to  his  attack  on  Ticonderoga 
in  1777.  Fourteen  miles  north-east  from  Essex  and  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  lake,  is  the  village  of  Burlington, 
About  midway  between  these  two  places  are  four  small  is- 
lands called  the  Four  Brothers.  They  are  called  Isle  de 
Quatre-vents  on  Charlevoix's  map  of  1744,  and  the  Four 
Winds  Islands  on  Sauthier's  map.  Two  and  one  half  miles 
south  of  Burlington  is  Potier's  Point,  called  Erkly's  by 
Sauthier.  It  forms  the  west  side  of  the  mouth  of  Shelburue 
Bay.  Three  miles  south-west  of  Burlington  is  Juniper 
Island,  on  which  stands  a  light-house  erected  in  1826. 

North-west  from  Juniper  Island,  and  near  the  west  shore 
of  the  lake  is  Schuyler  Island,  called  by  the  French  Isle 
aux  Chapons.  Under  this  island  Arnold  collected  his  fleet 
on  the  morning  of  the  12th  of  October,  after  his  retreat  from 
Valcour  Island.  A  little  to  the  south  of  this  island  is  Doug- 
lass Bay,  called  Corlear  by  the  French  and  Indians.  It  is 
supposed  that  the  humane  and  noble  Corlear  was  drowned 
in  this  bay  in  1666. 

A  mile  to  the  north  of  Schuyler  Ish.nd  is  a  bold  promon- 
tory called  Pointe  Trembleau.  At  the  foot  of  a  small  bay 
formed  by  this  point,  stands  the  village  of  Port  Kent,  and 
about  two  miles  to  the  north  are  the  mouths  of  the  Great 
and  Little  au  Saole  rivers,  which  empty  into  the  lake  near  a 
sandy  point,  called  Pointe  au  Sable.  Six  miles  further 
north,  and  half  a  mile  from  the  main  shore  lies  the  island 
of  Valcour,  or  Valeur  as  it  is  sometimes  called.  This  island 
is  celebrated  on  account  of  a  severe  naval  engagement  fought 
near  it  between  the  Americans  and  English  on  the  11th 
day  of  October,  1776.  One  mile  north  of  Valcour  is  St. 
Michel's,  or  Crab  Island,  and  about  three  miles  further  north 


\ 


%LAKE  CEAMPLAIN. 


is  the  mouth  of  the  Sarairac  river,  called  Salasanac  on 
Sauthier'a  map.  The  village  of  Plattsburgh  lies  on  both 
sides  of  this  river  at  its  mouth.  Three  miles  east  from 
Plattsburgh  is  Cumberland  Head,  on  which  a  light-house 
has  been  erected.  Cumberland  Head  was  called  by  the 
French  Cap  Sconnonton  or  Scononton.  It  extends  about 
three  miles  into  the  lake  in  a  southerly  direction,  and  forms 
Cumberland  Bay.  This  bay  was  the  scene  of  Macdonough's 
naval  victory  of  the  11th  of  September,  1814.  To  the  east 
of  Cumberland  Head  is  a  large  island  called  Grand  Isle. 
The  Lamoille  ]?iver  empties  into  the  lake  on  the  Vermont 
side  near  the  south  end  of  this  island.  Eight  miles  south 
of  the  Lamoille  is  the  mouth  of  the  Winooski.  North  of 
Grand  Isle,  and  separated  from  it  by  a  narrow  channel, 
is  another  large  island  called  North  Hero.  This  is  the  Isle 
Longue  of  the  French. 

Twelve  miles  north  of  Cumberland  Head,  and  lying  be- 
tween North  Hero  and  the  western  side  of  the  lake  is  Isle 
la  Motte.  This  island  was  named  from  Sieur  la  Mothe,  a 
French  oflScer  who  built  a  fort  on  the  north  end  of  the  island 
in  1665,  which  he  called  Fort  St.  Anne.  It  was  after- 
wards called  Fort  la  Mothe.  Kalm  says  this  was  a  wooden 
fort  or  redoubt,  standing  on  the  west  side  of  the  island  near 
the  water's  edge.  It  had  disappeared  when  he  passed  through 
the  lake  in  1749,  but  he  was  shown  the  spot  where  it  stood, 
which  he  describes  as  "  quite  overgrown  with  trees."  Oppo- 
site the  north  end  of  this  island,  on  the  New  York  side,  is 
the  mouth  of  the  Little  Chazy  River,  and  a  short  distance 
further  north  is  the  mouth  of  the  Big  Chazy.  These  rivers 
are  called  Chasi/  on  a  map  of  a  survey  of  the  lake  made  in 
1732,  and  vfere  originally  named  ftjm  Lieut,  de  Chasy,  a 
Frjnch  officer  of  distinction  who,  in  1665,  was  killed  by  a 
party  of  Mohawk  Indians,  while  hunting  in  their  vicinity. 
King's  Bay  lies  north  of  the  mouth  of  the  Big  Chazy.     The 


8 


LAKE  CHAMPLAm.- 


* 


north  side  of  this  bay  is  formed  by  Point  Au  Fer,  which 
separates  it  from  Rouse's  Point  Bay. 

]*oint  Au  Fer  was  formerly  separated  from  the  main  shore 
by  a  channel  or  deep  morass  connecting  Rouse's  Point  Bay 
with  King's  Bay.  Kalm  says  the  first  houses  he  saw,  after 
leaving  Fort  St.  Frederic,  were  on  the  western  side  of  the  lake 
about  ten  French  miles  above  St.  Johns,  in  which  the  French 
had  lived  before  the  last  war,  but  which  were  then  (1748) 
abandoned.  These  houses  probably  stood  either  on  Point 
Au  Fer  or  near  the  mouth  of  the  Big  Chazy  River.  Prior 
to  the  revolution  a  brick  house  was  built  on  this  point,  which 
was  known  as  the  White  House.  It  was  fortified  with  an 
intrenchment  and  cannon  by  General  Sullivan,  at  the  time 
of  the  invasion  of  Canada,  and  was  then  considered  a  very 
advantageous  position  to  command  the  navigation  of  the  north 
end  of  the  lake.  Burgoyne,  when  he  entered  the  United 
States,  threw  a  body  of  troops  into  this  place,  and  it  was 
retained  by  the  British  as  a  military  post  until  after  the 
peace.  1 

Opposite  the  northern  part  of  Isle  La  Motte,  on  the  Ver- 
mont side  of  the  lake,  is  Alburgh  Tongue,  called  by  the 
French  Pointe  Algonquin.  The  entrance  to  Missisco  Bay  is 
on  the  east  side  of  this  point.  About  eight  miles  north  of 
Isle  La  Motte,  also  on  the  Vermont  side,  is  Windmill  Point. 
The  French  built  a  windmill  there  about  the  time  of  the 
erection  of  Fort  St.  Frederic  at  Crown  Point,  and  had  col- 
lected a  small  settlement  near  the  mill;  but  the  English 
having  burnt  the  houses  several  times,  on  their  incursions 
into  Canada,  the  settlement  was  at  length  abandoned.  In  1749 
nothing  but  the  mill,  which  was  built  of  stone,  remained. ^ 

Opposite  Windmill  Point  is  the  village  oi  House's  Point, 
and  one  mile  north  is  tlie  terminus  of  the  Cgdensburgh 


^Ealm's  Travels. 


LAKE  CIIAirPLALy. 


(Northern)  Rail  Road.  A  connection  is  there  formed  between 
theOj,'densburgh  and  the  Vermont  and  Canada  Rail  Roads  by 
a  bridge  and  floating  draw.  The  boundary  line  between  the 
United  States  and  Canada,  as  fixed  by  the  Ashburton  Treaty 
of  1842,  is  about  one  mile  below  this  bridge.  This  line  is  . 
located  4,200  feet  north  of  the  true  parallel  of  the  45°  of 
latitude,  and  was  so  established  in  order  to  secure  to  the 
United  States  the  site  of  an  old  fort  commenced  by  that  gov. 
ernmcnt  soon  after  the  close  of  the  war  of  1812. 

The  parallel  of  45°  was  originally  located  correctly  by 
the  French,  but  in  176G  Governor  JMoore  and  Brigadier  Gen- 
eral Carleton  visited  Lake  Champlain  and  fixed  the  bound- 
ary between  Canada  and  the  province  of  New  York  about 
two  and  a  half  miles  below  Windmill  Point,  which  Governor 
Moore  says  was  further  to  the  northward  than  they  expected 
to  find  it  from  the  observations  said  to  have  been  made  by 
the  French  some  years  before. ^  Moore's  line  was  recognized 
as  the  true  one  until  about  the  year  1818  when,  on  taking 
new  observations,  it  was  found  to  be  too  far  to  the  north. 
As  soon  as  the  error  was  discovered,  the  United  States 
suspended  work  on  the  fort,  and  the  unfini.shod  walls  were 
long  known  as  Fort  Blundor.  Since  the  treaty  of  1842 
a  new  and  larger  fort  has  been  commenced  on  the  site  of  the 
old  one,  called  Fort  3IoMtgoniory.    It  is  not  yet  completed. 

Fort  iMontgonicry  stands  at  tlie  foot  of  the  lake.  1'lierc 
the  river  Richelieu  commences  and  conveys  the  waters  of 
the  lake  to  the  St.  Lawrence.  Tiiis  river,  for  several  years 
after  the  fir.st  settlement  of  Canada,  was  called  the  River  of 
the  Iroquois.  Charlevoix  says  it  was  afterwards  called  the 
Richelieu  on  account  of  a  fort  of  that  name  which  had  been 
built  at  its  mouth  in  1G41.  This  outlet  of  Lake  Champlain 
is  also  called  the  Sorel  or  Chambly  River. 


(  r- 


>Gov.  Moore  to  tbe  Board  of  riantations,  17CG. 
2 


I      V 

< 


10 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


Three  and  a  half  miles  below  the  boundary  line  is  Bloody 
Island,  said  to  be  so  called  from  the  murder  of  two  lumber- 
men who  were  killed  there  by  a  party  of  soldiers  sent  to 
protect  them  from  the  Indians.  Three-fourths  of  a  mile 
below  is  Ash  Island  or  Me  aux  Teles.  One  mile  below  Ash 
Island  is  Hospital  Island,  and  six  miles  still  lower  down  the 
river  is  Isle  mix  Noix,  where  the  French  established  a  mili- 
tary post  on  their  retreat  from  Crown  Point  in  1659.  Thir- 
teen miles  below  Isle  aux  Noix  is  the  village  of  St.  Johns. 
That  place  was  selected  for  a  military  post  by  Montcalm  in 
1758.     It  was  occupied  by  the  French  prior  to  1749. 

About  thirteen  miles  below  St.  Johns  is  the  village  and 
fort  of  Chambly.  A  fort  was  built  there  by  the  French  in 
1664,  which  they  called  Fort  St.  Louis.  It  was  at  first  built 
of  wood,  but  had,  prior  to  1721,  been  replaced  by  a  strong 
work  of  stone,  flanked  with  four  bastions,  and  capable  of 
containing  a  large  garrison.  Fort  Richelieu,  at  the  mouth 
of  the  river,  was  afterwards  demolished,  and  a  new  fort  built 
there  by  Mons.  de  Sorel,  to  which  his  name  was  given. 

Lake  Champlain  lies  on  the  western  side  of  a  valley  formed 
by  the  Adiroudacks  of  New  York  and  the  Green  Mountains 
of  Vermont.  This  valley  is  from  one  to  thirty  miles  in  width, 
and  about  one  hundred  and  eighty  miles  in  length  north  and 
south.  Its  greatest  depression  has  been  found  to  be  between 
Westport,  Burlington  and  Port  Kent.  Between  Burlington 
and  Port  Kent  the  water  of  the  lake  is  two  hundred  and 
eighty-two  feet  in  depth.  Professor  Emmons  found  the 
depth,  four  miles  north  of  Westport,  to  be  three  hundred 
feet,  and  he  was  told  that  soundings  of  six  hundred  feet  had 
been  made  in  other  places  in  that  part  of  the  lake.  The 
surface  of  the  lake  is  ninety-three  feet  above  tide,  and  if 
Professor  Emmons  was  not  misinformed,  its  bottom  at  this 
last  point  is  at  least  five  hundred  feet  below  the  level  of  the 
ocean.     It  is  the  popular  opinion  that  the  waters  of  the  lake 


HI  I 


LAKE  CUAMPLAIN. 


11 


are  gradually  subsidipi;,  but  I  judge  this  to  be  a  mistake  for 
the  reason  that  the  soundings  made  seventy-five  years  ago  do 
not  differ  materially  from  those  of  the  present  day.  The 
water  in  the  bays  and  along  the  shores  is  not  so  deep  as  it 
was  formerly,  on  account  of  the  washing  of  the  banks  and 
the  deposit  of  earth,  saw-dust  and  rubbish  brought  down  by 
the  creeks  and  rivers,  but  the  surface  is  probably  as  high 
above  tide  as  it  was  when  the  lake  was  first  visited  by  Cham- 
plain  in  1609.  It  is  evident,  however,  from  an  examination 
of  the  adjacent  shores  and  rocks,  that  the  lake  at  one  time 
filled  a  much  larger  portion  of  the  valley  than  it  does  at  pre- 
sent. Geologists  suppose  this  entire  valley  to  have  been  twice 
occupied  by  the  ocea.^ — -but  these  speculations  are  of  little 
interest  to  the  general  reader,  who,  usually,  is  satisfied  to 
take  things  as  they  have  existed  for  the  last  five  thousand 
years. 

This  lake  has  ever  been  celebrated  for  the  beauty  of  its 
scenery  and  the  bold  and  imposing  configuration  of  the  sur- 
rounding country.  Upon  the  eastern  side  the  valley  is  wide 
and  fertile  until  we  pass  Mount  Independence  going  south, 
when  the  hills  approach  the  lake,  and  in  some  places  rise 
abruptly  from  its  shores.  On  the  New  York  side  the  moun^ 
tains  in  man}'^  places  extend  to  the  water's  edge,  as  in  the 
case  of  the  Black  Mountains  south  of  Ticonderoga ;  the 
Kayaderosseras  range  which  terminates  with  Bulwagga 
Mountain  near  Crown  Point ;  the  northern  end  of  the  West 
Moriah  range  at  Split  Rock,  and  of  the  Adirondack  Mountains 
at  Trembleau  Point,  near  Port  Kent.  These  several  ranges 
run  from  the  lake  in  a  south-westerly  direction,  increasing 
in  altitude  as  they  recede,  and  presenting  a  scene  at  once 
bold  and  beautiful, — hill  after  hill  rising  gradually  above 
each  other,  until  the  highest  peaks  attain  an  elevation  of 
over  five  thousand  feet.  From  the  west  the  snow-crowned 
rocks  of  Mount  Marcy,  old  White  Face,  and  half  a  dozen 


'-•i 


12 


LAKE  vnAMPLAm. 


other  giants  among  the  hills  look  down  in  solemn  grandeur 
on  the  lake  j  while,  on  the  east,  the  eye  passes  over  green 
fields  to  trace  along  the  horizon  the  clear  blue  outline  of 
Jay's  Peak,  Old  Mansfield's  Chin  and  Nose,  and  Camel's 
Hump,  the  poetic  Lion  Couchmtt  of  the  French.! 

The  original  Indian  name  of  Lake  Champlain  has  been  a 
subject  of  much  speculation  and  research.  By  some  it  is 
supposed  to  have  been  called  Peta-u-u-houqm,  meaning 
alternate  land  and  water,  in  allusion  to  its  numerous  islands 
and  projecting  points  of  land.  Among  the  other  names 
ascribed  to  the  lake  are  Caniaderi-yuarunte,  the  door  or 
mouth  of  the  country;  Petow-par-goic,  the  great  water,  and 
Sfca-ne-togh-ro-wah-na ,  the  largest  lake.  The  early  French 
■writers  do  not  refer  to  its  Indian  name,  but  speak  of  the 
lake  as  the  passage  that  leads  to  the  country  of  the  Iroquois. 
Among  the  papers  published  in  O'Callaghan's  Documentari/ 
History  of  New  Yorh  in  relation  to  the  old  French  grants 
on  Lake  Champlain,  is  a  letter  from  Governor  Tryon  to 
Lord  Dartmouth,  in  which  he  states  that  this  lake  is  called 
on  Blain  &  Ogilby's  and  other  ancient  maps  the  Mar  des 
Iroquois,  the  Richelieu  River,  Riviere  des  Iroquois,  and 
the  tract  on  the  east  side  of  the  lake  Iroscosia.  From 
this  it  has  been  conjectured  that  the  lake  was  called  Yroquois 
by  the  Indians.  But  this  is  explained  by  Charlevoix,  who 
says  that  the  name  was  given  to  the  river  and  lake  by  the 
French,  because  the  Mohawk  Iroquois  were  in  the  habit  of 
passing  through  those  waters  in  their  incursions,  into  the 


1  The  following  are  the  elevations,  above  tide,  of  some  of  the 
peaks  seen  from  Lake  Champlain. 

On  the  New  York  side,  Mt.  Marcy  5,467  feet ;  Dix's  Peak,  5,200 ; 
Nipple  Top,  4,900;  AVhiteface,  4,900;  Raven  Hill,  2,100;  Bald 
Peak,  2,065. 

On  the  Vermont  side,  The  Chin,  4,348;  The  Nose,  4,044;  Cam- 
el's Hump,  4,083 ;  Jay's  Peak,  4,018 ;  Killington  Peak,  3,924. 


LAKE  CIIAMPLAIN. 


13 


French  settlements  on  the  St.  Lawrence.  Champluin  affixed 
his  own  name  to  the  lake  durinj;  his  exploration  of  its  shores 
in  July,  1G09.  At  a  later  day  it  was  sometimes  called  liake 
Corlear,  in  honor  of  a  Dutchman  who  in  IGGo  saved  a  party 
of  French  and  Canada  Indians  from  being  destroyed  by  a 
war  party  of  the  Mohawks,  and  who,  in  the  year  after,  was 
accidentally  drowned  in  it  while  on  his  way  to  Canada. 


In  the  following  chapters  I  propose  to  collect  many  facts 
connected  with  the  history  of  Lake  Champlain.  No  part  of 
the  United  States  is  more  interesting  from  its  historic  inci- 
dents. Every  bay  and  island  of  the  lake  and  nearly  every 
foot  of  its  shore  has  been  the  scene  of  some  warlike  move- 
ment—  the  midnight  foray  of  the  predatory  savage,  the 
bloody  scout  of  frontier  settlers,  the  rendezvous  of  armed 
bands,  or  the  conflict  of  contending  armies.  These  stirring 
incidents  extend  in  tradition  far  beyond  the  first  discovery 
of  the  lake,  and  are  brought  down  by  scattered  and  uncon- 
nected history,  in  an  almost  uninterrupted  series  of  strifes 
and  contentions,  to  the  close  of  the  war  of  1812. 


M 


I 


CHAPTER  I. 

Progress  of  DiscoTcrles  by  the  French  In  Canada— Character  of  the  Indian 
Tribes  —  Cliamplnin's  "Visit  to  Lake  Champlain  in  IfiO!)  —  Battle  between  the 
Canada  Indians  and  the  Iroquois  —  Fort  erected  on  Isle  La  Motte  —  Do  Cour- 
colics'  Expedition  to  the  Mohawk  River. 


But  little  progress  was  made  by  the  French  in  their 
American  discoveries  until  the  spring  of  1534,  when 
Jacques  Cartier  sailed  from  France  with  two  small  vessels, 
and  in  the  month  of  May  reached  Bonavista  in  Newfound- 
land. Cartier  coasted  around  the  north  shore  of  the 
island,  and  along  the  Gulf  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  returning  to 
France  in  September.  The  following  year  he  left  France 
with  three  ships,  and  entering  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Lawrence, 
ascended  that  river  as  far  as  the  St.  Croix  (St.  Charles) , 
near  the  Indian  village  Stadacona  (Quebec),  where  he  passed 
the  winter.  While  his  party  were  preparing  their  win- 
ter quarters,  Cartier,  with  thirty-five  armed  men,  proceeded 
up  the  river  as  far  as  Hochelaga  (Montreal),  where  he  arrived 
on  the  second  day  of  October. 

"Hochelaga,"  says  Warburton,i  "stood  in  the  midst  of 
great  fields  of  Indian  corn ;  it  was  of  a  circular  form,  con- 
taining about  fifty  large  huts,  each  fifty  paces  long  and  from  ' 
fourteen  to  fifteen  wide,  all  built  in  the  shape  of  tunnels, 
formed  of  wood,  and  covered  with  birch  bark ;  the  dwell- 
ings were  divided  into  several  rooms,  surrounding  an  open 
court  in  the  centre,  where  the  fires  burned.  Three  rows  of 
palisades  encircled  the  town,  with  only  one  entrance;  above 
the  gate,  and  over  the  whole  length  of  the  outer  ring  of  de- 
fence, there  was  a  gallery,  approached  by  flights  of  steps, 

^  Conquest  of  Canada,  vol.  I.  -, 


LAKE  CHAMPLAm. 


15 


and  plentifully  provided  with  stones  and  other  missiles  to  re- 
sist attack.  This  was  a  place  of  considerable  importance, 
even  in  those  remote  days,  as  the  capital  of  a  great  extent  of 
country,  and  as  having  eight  or  ten  villages  subject  to  its 
sway.  The  inhabitants  spoke  the  language  of  the  great 
Huron  nation,  and  were  more  advanced  in  civilization 
than  any  of  their  neighbors;  unlike  other  tribes,  they  cul- 
tivated the  ground  and  remained  stationary."  This  was 
Ilochelaga  in  1534.  Seventy  years  later  it  had  sunk  into 
a  decayed  and  unimportant  place. 

On  the  11th  of  October,  Cartier  rejoined  his  party  at  St. 
Croix,  and  the  following  spring  returned  to  France.  Early 
in  the  spring  of  1541  he  again  sailed  for  America,  and  enter- 
ing the  St.  Lawrence,  passed  up  that  stream  as  high  as  the 
rapids  of  Lachine.  The  next  spring  he  returned  to  Europe 
and  soon  afterwards  died.  No  eifort  was  made  by  the  French 
to  colonize  Canada,  after  the  return  of  Cartier  and  his  asso- 
ciates, until  the  year  1603,  when  an  armament  was  fitted 
out,  under  the  command  of  Pontgrave,  to  make  further  dis- 
coveries in  the  St.  Lawrence.  Among  the  officers  who  ac- 
companied this  expedition  was  Samuel  de  Ciiamplain,  a 
captain  in  the  French  Navy  and  a  native  of  Saintonge. 
Pontgrave  and  Champlain  explored  the  St.  Lawrence  as  far 
as  the  Lachine  rapids,  which  was  the  highest  point  reached 
by  Cartier  sixty-eight  years  before.  In  1604  Champlain 
accompanied  De  Monts  to  Canada,  and  again  returned  to 
France  in  the  fall  of  that  year. 

In  1608,  De  Monts,  who  was  at  the  head  of  a  trading 
company,  equipped  two  ships  at  Honfleur,  and  sent  them 
out  under  the  command  of  Champlain  and  Pontgrave,  for 
the  purpose  of  establishing  the  fur  trade  at  Tadoussac. 
Champlain  reached  Tadoussac  on  the  3d  day  of  June. 
After  a  brief  stay  there  he  ascended  the  St.  Lawrence  and 
on  the  3d  of  July,  arrived  at  the  ancient  village  of  Stadacona, 


'^  >■  'I 


le 


LAKE  CnAMPLAIN. 


which  ho  selected  as  the  site  of  the  future  capital  of 
Canada.! 

When  the  French  first  visited  Canada  the  Indians  residing 
north  of  the  river  St.  Lawrence  were  engaged  in  war  with 
the  Five  Nations  of  Indians,  who  occupied  the  territory 
south  of  the  St.  Lawrence.  The  Five  Nations  were  a  power- 
ful confederacy,  consisting  of  the  Mohawks,  the  Oneidas, 
the  Onondagas,  the  Cayugas  and  the  Senecas.  They  called 
themselves  Aganuschioni,  or  United  People.'-  IJy  the  Dela- 
wares  they  were  called  Mingoes;  by  the  French,  Iroquois, 
and  by  the  Dutch  the  Maquas.  Lafitau  gives  them  the 
name  of  the  Ayonnonsionni,  as  does  Charlevoix,  who  says, 
"Leur  nom  propre  est  Agonnonsionni,  qui  veut  dire,  faiseurs 
do  cabannes  j  parcequ'ils  les  batissent  beaucoup  plus  solides, 
que  la  plupart  des  autres  sauvages."-'  In  1712,  the  Tus- 
caroras,  who  had  been  driven  from  the  south  by  the  English, 
were  admitted  into  the  confederacy,  which  was  afterwards 
known  as  the  Six  Nations, 

Prior  to  the  settlement  of  Canada  by  the  French,  the 
Iroquois  occupied  all  the  country  south  of  the  river  St. 
Lawrence,  and  resided  in  numbei's  around  Montreal  and 
in   the   valley   of  Lake   Cluimplain,   but  they   had   been 

'All  ancient  Castilian  tradition  existed  that  Uio  Spaniards 
visited  tliese  coasts  before  tlie  French,  and  having  perceived  no 
appearance  of  mines  or  riclies,  they  oxclaiineil  froqiu-ntly,  "Aca 
nada,"  herds  nothing;  the  natives  caught  up  the  sound,  and  when 
other  Europeans  arrived,  repeated  it  to  them.  Tlie  strangers 
concluded  that  these  words  were  a  designation,  and  from  that 
time  this  magnificent  country  bore  the  name  of  Canada.  Wiir- 
lurton,  vol.1.  Chai'levoix  gives  another  derivation :  "D'avtres 
d^rivent  ce  nom  du  mot  Iroquois  kannala,  qui  se  prononce 
Cannada,  et  signifie  unamas  de  cabancs." — Hist,  de  la  Nouv.  France, 
torn.  I. 

'  G jveraor  Cliatoa's  Discourse  before  the  New  Yorlc  Historical 
Society. 

^  Charlevoix,  torn.  I. 


LAKE  CIIAMPLAIN. 


n 


driven  off  towards  Lake  Ontario  by  the  Adirondacks, 
wlio  lived  near  the  Three  Rivers.  The  success  of  the 
Adiriindaeks  was  of  short  duration,  for  soon  afterwards  they, 
in  their  turn,  were  driven  from  their  ancient  scats  to  a  saler 
position  below  Quebec.'  In  1(JU8  the  Iroquois  resided  upon 
the  banks  of-  the  Mohawk  and  in  several  villages  to  the  west 
of  that  river.  They  claimed  the  whole  country  lying  on 
both  sides  of  Lake  Champlain,  as  far  north  as  the  St.  Law- 
rence. The  northern  bank  of  the  St.  Lawrence  was  held 
by  the  Algonquins,  the  ancient  and  inveterate  enemies  of 
the  Irocjuois.  The  Ilurons,  a  numerous  nation  residing  west 
of  Lake  Ontario,  were  in  alliance  with  the  Algonquins  and 
joined  them  in  their  wars  against  the  Iroquois. 

The  Iroquois  were  powerful,  politic,  warlike  and  coura- 
geous. They  have  been  termed  by  Europeans  the  Romans 
of  the  West.  -  Charlevoix  says  the  name  Iroquois  was 
formed  from  the  Indian  //tVo,  which  means  I  have  said, 
with  which  these  Indians  always  finished  their  speeches, 
and  ih  Icoite,  a  Word  often  used  by  them,  and  which,  when 
pronounced  with  a  drawl  was  a  cry  of  grief,  and  when  spoken 
short  and  quick,  one  of  exultation.-'  They  lived  in  villages 
around  which  they  had  extensive  cultivated  fields.  These 
villages  were  enclosed  with  strong  quadruple  palisades 
of  large  timber,  about  thirty  feet  high,  interlocked  with  each 
other,  with  an  interval  of  not  more  tluin  half  a  foot  be- 
tween them.  On  the  inner  side  of  the  palisades  were  galle- 
ries in  the  form  of  parapets  defended  with  double  pieces  of 
timber.'  The  Algonquins  were  a  warlike  nation,  and  the 
most  polished  of  the  northern  tribes.  They  were  a  migratory 
people,   disdaining  the  cultivation  of  the  soil  and  depend- 


1  Gordon.  • 

2  Warburton,  vol.  I. 

'  Charlevoix,  torn  I. 

*  Champlain's  Votjajes  de  la  iVowy.  France, 


K' 


I 


18 


LAKE  VIIAMPLAiy. 


itig  altof^cthcr  on  the  produce  of  the  chase.  The  Ifuroiia 
had  Home  nlij^^lit  knowledge  of  husbandry,  but  wore  iiioro 
circininatc  and  luxurious  than  tlio  other  tribes,  and  inferior  in 
savage  virtue  and  indepetidonce.'  Tliey  lived  in  villages,  of 
which  the  nation  possessed  twenty,  but  which  were  inicrior 
in  construction  and  strength  to  those  of  the  Iro(|Uois. 

When  Ciianiplain  landed  at  Quebec  he  found  the  Algon- 
quins  and  Ilurons  engaged  in  active  war  witli  the  iWohawks, 
one  of  the  oldest  and  most  powerful  branches  of  the  Five 
Nations.  Learning  from  some  Indians  who  visited  his 
encampment  in  the  winter,  that  they  intended  an  inroad  into 
the  country  of  their  enemy  in  the  course  of  the  approach- 
ing summer,  he  determined  to  accompany  them,  and  by  that 
means,  not  only  explore  a  river  and  large  lake  through 
•which  the  war  party  would  pass,  but  by  his  powerful  assist- 
ance strengthen  the  friendship  which  then  existed  between 
the  French  and  the  neighboring  Indians.  For  this  purpose, 
on  the  18tli  of  April,  1G09,  he  left  Quebec  on  board  a  pinnace 
accompanied  by  a  small  party  of  followers,  and  ascending 
tlie  8t.  Lawrence  as  far  as  the  mouth  of  the  Richelieu, 
passed  up  that  stream  to  the  foot  of  the  rapids  near  Chambly. 
Here  a  war  party  of  sixty  Algonquins  and  Ilurons  joined 
him,  and  commenced  preparations  for  the  incursion. 

It  would  seem  that  it  was  Cliamplain's  intention  to  take 
his  whole  party  with  him;  but  the  men,  intimidated  by  the 
email  number  of  the  Indians,  or  from  some  other  cause,  re- 
fused to  proceed  any  further,  and  after  the  strongest  appeals 
on  "the  part  of  Champlain,  but  two  would  accompany  him. 
With  these  alone  he  determined  to  join  the  Indians  on  their 
long  and  perilous  expedition.  All  their  arrangements  being 
completed,  Champlain  and  his  two  companions,  on  the  2d  of 
July,  embarked  with  the  Indians  in  twenty-four  canoes  and 


*  Warburton,  vol.  I. 


I.IKE  CIIAMI'I.MS. 


19 


tliat  flay  procecileJ  up  tlio  river  to  a  point  nbout  uiiio  miles 
altovo  the  ("liiiHl  of  M  'flicrcsa,  where  they  cncaniijud  lor 
tln'  iiiiiht.  Tltti  ijext  day  tlu^y  I'oiititUK'il  on  as  tar  a.s  tho 
lake,  wl  if'li  tlicy  crifcrod  on  the  f'olIowiiiL;'  morning:,  and 
(•oasted  aloni;  its  west  shore  until  they  came  within  two  or 
three  days  journey  of  the  j)laec  where  they  expeeted  to  meet 
the  enemy.  After  this  they  traveled  oidy  by  nipht,  eaeh 
morninj^  retiring  into  u  barrinideil  eanip  to  pass  the  day. 
The  party  advanced  with  the  utmost  caution,  keejdn^;  their 
canoes  cdose  to^^ether,  and  making  no  noise  which  might  ho 
lieard  by  the  enemy  .should  they  happen  to  he  near.  During 
the  whole  journey  they  used  no  fire  and  lived  upon  dried 
Indian  meal  soaked  iu  water. 

In  his  account  of  this  expedition,  Champlain  particularly 
refers  to  the  superstition  of  the  Indians,  and  the  importance 
they  attach  to  dreams.'  Whenever  he  awoke  they  would 
eagerly  inquire  whether  he  had  dreamed  of  or  seen  their 
enemies.  One  day,  while  the  party  lay  concealed  near 
Crown  Point,  Champlain  fell  asleep  and  thought  he  saw  tho 
Iroquois  drowning  iu  the  lake  within  sight  of  the  encamp- 
ment. On  awaking  he  related  tho  dream  to  the  Indians, 
which,  he  says,  "  gained  such  credit  among  them  that  they 
no  longer  doubted  but  they  should  meet  with  success."  That 
same  niglit  about  ten  o'clock,  while  proceeding  cautiously 
along,  they  met  a  war  party  of  the  Iroquois,  who  were  pass- 
ing down  the  lake  in  canoes. 

As  soon  as  the  two  parties  discovered  each  other  the  Iro- 


>  The  Indian  trusts  to  his  dreams,  and  invariably  holds  them 
sacred.  Before  he  engages  in  any  important  undertaking,  partic- 
ularly in  war,  diplomacy,  or  the  chase,  the  dreams  of  the  principal 
chiefs  are  carefully  watched  and  examined ;  by  their  interpreta- 
tion his  conduct  is  guided.  In  this  manner  the  fate  of  a  whole 
nation  has  often  been  decided  by  the  chance  vision  of  a  single 
man. — Conquest  of  Canada,  I,  192. 


'■\ 


I.  1 


la 


}  i 


11 


!   i 


!, 


2a 


LAKE  CUAMPLAIN. 


quois  hastened  to  the  shore,  and  having  first  secured  tlicir 
canoes,  began  to  cut  down  trees  and  form  a  barricade.  The 
others  pushed  out  towards  the  ccutro  of  the  lake,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  fasten  their  canoes  together,  and  then  secured  them 
with  poles  in  a  position  within  arrow-shot  of  the  barricade. 
Two  canoes  were  then  sent  towards  the  shore  to  inquire 
whether  the  Iroquois  wished  to  fight,  who  answered  they 
did,  but  proposed,  as  it  was  then  dark,  that  the  battle  be 
deferred  until  morning.  To  this  the  Algonquins  and  Hu- 
rons  agreed,  and  both  parties  passed  the  night  in  singing 
and  taunting  their  rivals  with  cowardice  and  imbecility. 
Champlain  and  his  two  companions  were  equipped  in  light 
armor,  and  each  carried  an  arquebus.  They  were  placed  in 
diflferent  canoes  and  kept  themselves  concealed  from  sight, 
least  the  Iroquois  might  be  alarmed  at  their  appearance 
and  decline  the  combat. 

On  the  following  morning  an  engagement  took  place 
which  is  thus  recorded  by  Champlain.'  "  The  moment  we 
landed  they  (the  Algonquins  and  Hurons)  began  to  run 
about  two  hundred  paces  towards  their  enemies  who  stood 
firm,  and  had  not  yet  perceived  my  companions,  who  went 
into  the  bush  with  some  savages.  Our  Indians  commenced 
calling  me  in  a  loud  voice,  and  opening  their  ranks  placed 
me  at  their  head  about  twenty  paces  in  advance,  in  which 
order  we  marched  until  I  was  in  thirty  paces  of  the  enemy. 
The  moment  they  saw  me  they  halted,  gazing  at  me  and  I  at 
them.  When  I  saw  them  preparing  to  shoot  at  us,  I  raised 
my  arquebus,  and  aiming  directly  at  one  of  the  three  chiefs, 
tv  of  them  fell  to  the  ground  by  this  shot,  and  one  of  their 
comj.  anions  received  a  wound  of  which  he  afterwards  died. 
I  had  put  four  balls  in  my  arquebus.  Our  party,  on  witness- 
ing a  shot  so  favorable  for  them,  set  up  such  tremendous 


Voyages  de  la  Nouv,  France, 


LAKE  CUAMPLAIN. 


21 


shouts  that  thunder  could  not  have  been  heard ;  and  yet 
tlierc  was  no  hick  of  arrows  on  one  side  and  the  other.  The 
Irocjuois  were  greatly  astonished  at  seeing  two  men  killed 
so  instantaneously,  notwithstanding  they  were  provided  with 
arrow-proof  armor  woven  of  cotton  thread  and  wood  j  this 
frightened  them  very  much.  Whilst  I  was  reloading,  one 
of  my  companions  in  the  bush  fired  u  shot,  which  so  aston- 
ished them  anew,  seeing  their  chiefs  slain,  that  they  lost 
courage,  took  to  flight,  and  abandoned  the  field  and  their 
fort,  hiding  themselves  in  the  depth  of  the  forests,  whither 
pursuing  them  I  killed  some  others.  Our  savages  also  killed 
several  of  them  and  took  ten  or  twelve  prisoners.  The  rest 
carried  off  the  wounded.  Fifteen  or  sixteen  of  our  party 
were  wounded  by  arrows;  they  were  promptly  cured." 

This  battle  was  fought  on  the  30th  of  July,  near  what 
Champlain  describes  as  "the  point  of  a  cape  which  juts  into 
the  lake  on  the  west  side."  Some  writers  have  located  the 
battle-ground  on  Lake  George.  Doctor  Fitch'  thinks  it  was 
upon  one  of  the  points  of  land  in  the  town  of  Dresden  or 
Putnam,  south  of  Ticonderoga;  but,  from  an  examination 
of  Champlain's  map  of  New  France,^  it  is  evident  that  the 
engagement  took  place  somewhere  between  Crown  Point 
and  Lake  George,  probably  in  the  town  of  Ticonderoga. 

As  soon  as  the  victorious  party  had  gathered  the  weap- 
ons and  other  spoils  left  behind  by  the  Iroquois,  they  era- 
barked  on  their  return  to  Canada.  Proceeding  about  eight 
leagues  down  the  lake,  they  landed  after  night  fall,  when 
the  Indians  put  one  of  their  prisoners  to  death  with  the 
most  horrible  and  protracted  tortures.  The  rest  of  their 
captives  were  taken  to  Canada.  At  the  rapids  of  the 
Richelieu  the  party  separated,  and  the  Indians  returned  to 

1  Historical  Survey  of  Washington  County, 

2  A  copy  of  this  map  will  be  found  in  vol.  3,  of  O'Callaghan'a 
Documentary  History  of  New  York. 


OOl 


LAKE  ClIAMPLAIN. 


their  homes,  well  satisfied,  says  Champlain,  with  the  result 
of  the  expedition,  aud  uttering  strong  professions  of  grati- 
tude and  friendship  for  the  French. i 

The  above  is,  in  substance,  Chauiplain's  narrative  of  the 
first  visit  of  civilized  man  within  the  limits  of  the  state  of 
New  York.  Two  months  later  H«ury  Hudson  entered  New 
York  Bay  and  ascended  the  North  lliver  as  far  as  the  present 
village  of  Waterford.-  Thus  were  the  northern  and  south- 
ern sections  of  the  state  almost  simultaneously  explored  by 
the  European. 

After  the  departure  of  the  Indians  Champlain  returned 
to  Quebec.  lie  continued  governor  of  Canada  until  1629, 
when  he  surrendered  the  government  to  the  English  and  re- 
turned home.  In  1632  Canada  was  restored  to  France,  and 
the  next  year  Champlain  was  reappointed  governor  of  the 
colony ;  which  situation  he  continued  to  hold  until  his  death, 
at  Quebec,  in  1635. 

Champlain  was  brave,  high-minded,  active  and  generous, 
and  eminent  for  his  Christian  zeal  and  purity.  "The  salva- 
tion of  one  soul,''  he  often  said,  "  is  of  more  value  than  the 
conquest  of  an  enemy."  During  his  life  he  fostered  Chris- 
tianity and  civilization ,  and  succeeded  in  planting  them  among 
the  snows  of  Canada.  The  only  great  mistake  of  his  admin- 
istration was  an  injudicious  interference  in  the  quarrels  be- 


1  Charlevoix  and  most  English  writers  say  that  Champlain,  on 
this  expedition,  ascended  a  rapid  and  passed  into  another  lake 
afterward  called  Lake  St.  Sacrement.  Champlain,  in  his  account, 
Bays  the  Indians  told  him  of  a  waterfall  and  of  a  lake  beyond, 
three  or  four  leagues  long,  and  adds  that  he  saw  the  waterfall,  but 
eays  nothing  of  the  lake.  Had  he  explored  the  lake  he  would 
not  have  repi'esented  it  as  only  three  or  four  leagues  long. 

■•'Hudson  first  entered  New  York  Bay  in  September  1G09.  He 
sailed  up  the  river  as  far  as  Albany,  and  einbai-king  in  small  boats 
continued  on  to  Waterford,  where  ho  arrived  on  the  2:id  of  that 
month. 


LAKE  CnAMPLAIN. 


23 


twecn  the  Indians.  By  this  means  he  directed  the  hostility 
of  the  warlike  Iroquois  against  the  French,  and  created  an 
implacable  hatred  on  the  part  of  that  powerful  nation  which 
time  could  not  heal,  nor  the  blood  of  a  thousand  victims 
soften. 

Mons.  de  Montmagny  succeeded  Champlain  as  governor 
of  New  France.  In  1641  he  erected  a  fort  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Richelieu,  as  a  protection  against  the  repeated  inroads  of 
the  Indians  by  the  way  of  Lake  Champlain.  M.  de  Mont- 
magny was  succeeded  by  M.  D'Ailleboust,  in  the  course  of 
whose  administration,  of  three  years,'  the  Iroquois  made 
several  incursions  into  the  territory  of  the  Hurons  and  drove 
them  from  the  fertile  banks  of  the  Ottawa.  These  victories 
of  the  Iroquois  rendered  them  more  audacious  than  ever. 
Breaking  a  solemn  treaty  of  peace  made  with  31.  de  3Iont- 
magny  several  years  before,  they  again  f^ppeared  among  the 
French  settlements  despising  forts  and  barricades  and  in- 
sulting the  humble  husbandman  with  impunity.  In  their 
attacks  no  force  was  too  strong  for  them  to  overcome ;  no 
hiding  place  too  secret  for  them  to  discover.  So  great,  at 
length,  became  the  audacity  of  these  savages  that  they  sud- 
denly fell  upon  a  body  of  Algonquins  under  the  very  guns 
of  the  fortress  of  Quebec,  and  massacred  them  without 
mercy. 

A  dark  and  unpropitious  gloom  hung  over  the  affairs  of 
the  colony  until  the  arrival  of  the  Marquis  de  Tracy,  as  vice- 
roy, in  1664.  M.  de  Tracy  brought  with  him  the  Carignan- 
Salieres,  a  veteran  regiment  which  hud  greatly  distinguished 
itself  in  the  wars  against  the  Turks.  Immediately  on  the 
arrival  of  these  troops  they  were  sent,  accompanied  by  the 
allied  Indians,  against  the  Iroquois,  and  soon  cleared  the 


1  The  Governors  of  New  France  held  oflRce  for  three  years  only ; 
in  consequence  of  a  decree  that  no  one  man  should  hold  the  govern- 
ment of  a  colony  for  more  than  that  length  of  time.  —  Warburlon. 


Mi 


Ifi 


24 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


I  \ 


country  of  those  troublesome  enemies.  Having  established 
peace  throughout  the  colony,  M.  de  Tracy  prepared  to  adopt 
measures  to  make  the  security  permanent.  The  hostile  In- 
dians had  been  accustomed  to  approach  the  French  settle- 
ments by  the  way  of  Lake  Champlain  and  the  Eichelieu 
River,  and  to  effectually  block  up  this  avenue  three  captains 
of  the  Carignan  regiment,  M.  de  Sorel,  de  Chambly,  and  de 
Salieres,  were  ordered  to  erect  forts  on  that  river. 

M.  de  Sorel  built  a  fort  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  on  the 
site  of  old  fort  Richelieu  erected  by  de  Montmagny  in  1641. 
M.  de  Chambly  constructed  one  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids,  in 
the  present  village  of  Chambly,  which  he  callcdFort  St.  Louis, 
and  M.  de  Salieres  built  another  nine  miles  above,  which  he 
named  St.  Theresa,  because  it  was  finished  on  that  Saint's 
day.  The  next  year  M.  de  la  Mothe,  another  captain  in 
the  Carignan  regiment,  was  sent  to  Lake  Champlain  to  con- 
struct a  fort  on  an  island  near  the  lower  end  of  the  lake, 
which  was  intended  to  serve  as  a  place  of  rendezvous,  "from 
which  continual  attacks  could  be  made  on  the  enemy."  ^ 
This  fort  was  called  St.  Anne. 

As  soon  as  tidings  of  the  erection  of  these  forts  reached 
the  Iroquois,  three  of  those  tribes  sent  deputies  to  Quebec 
with  proposals  of  peace.  M.  de  Tracy  gave  them  a  friendly 
audience,  and  sent  them  back  with  valuable  presents.  , 

About  the  same  time  he  determined  to  invade  the  country 
of  the  Mohawks,  who  with  the  Oneidas  remained  stubborn 
and  inflexible,  and  to  inflict  summary  punishment  upon  them 
for  their  former  insolence  and  treachery.  With  this  view 
M.  do  Courcelles  was  ordered  to  fit  out  a  military  expedition, 
with  the  utmost  despatch.  On  the  9th  of  Jan.,  1666,  ho 
started  with  three  hundred  men  of  the  regiment  of  Carignan- 
Salieres,  and  two  hundred  volunteers,  habitans,  for  Fort  St. 


1  Relations,  Sfc.  en  la  Nouv.  France,  1664-5. 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


25 


Tlieresa,  which  had  been  designated  as  the  place  of  rendezvous. 
The  weather  was  so  severe  that  before  they  had  advanced 
three  days'  journey  many  of  the  men  would  have  perished, 
had  they  not  been  carried  along  by  their  companions.  On 
the  24th,  Sicursde  la  Fouille,  Maximin  and  Lobiac,  captains 
of  the  Carignan  regiment,  joined  the  army  with  sixty  men 
and  some  hahifans,  but  before  they  reached  St.  Theresa  so 
many  men  had  become  disabled  that  it  was  necessary  to 
withdraw  four  companies  from  the  forts  on  the  Richelieu  to 
supply  the  vacancies  in  the  ranks. 

On  the  30th  of  January  de  Courcellcs  marched  out  of  Fort 
St.  Theresa  at  the  head  of  five  hundred  men,  and  passing 
the  lake  on  the  ice,  crossed  the  country  towards  the  Mohawk 
villages.  The  snow  was  nearly  four  feet  deep,  and  the  men 
were  obliged  to  use  snow-shoes  to  pass  over  it.  As  horses 
could  make  no  progress  through  the  deep  snow,  a  large 
number  of  slight  sledges  were  prepared  which  were  loaded 
with  provisions  and  dragged  along  by  the  men,  or  by  large 
dogs  brought  on  for  that  purpose.  Each  man,  including  all 
the  officers,  carried  upon  his  back  from  twenty-five  to  thirty 
pounds  of  biscuit  or  other  supplies. ^  The  intention  of  the 
French  had  been  to  march  directly  against  the  Mohawk 
villages,  but  having  lost  their  way,  through  the  ignbrance  of 
their  guides,  they  turned  too  far  to  the  south,  and  on  the  9th 
of  February  arrived  within  two  miles  of  Schenectady,  where 
they  encamped.  Here  they  were  met  by  a  small  party  of 
Mohawks,  who,  pretending  to  retreat  were  carelessly  pursued 
by  sixty  of  the  French  fusileers,  who  were  thus  drawn  into 
an  ambuscade  of  about  two  hundred  Indian  warriors  securely 
posted  behind  the  trees  of  the  forest.  At  the  first  volley  of 
the  Indians  eleven  of  the  French,  including  a  lieutenant, 


1  Relations  de  ce  qui  s'est  passe  en  la  Nout:  France  en  annecs 
1C65-6, 


f 


If 


26 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


i    % 
11 


were  killed  and  several  wounded.  The  fusileers  discharged 
their  pieces  and  immediutely  fell  back  upon  the  main  body 
of  the  army,  while  the  Indians  retired  with  a  loss  of  three 
killed  and  six  wounded,  taking  with  them  the  scalps  of  four 
Frenchmen  which  they  exhibited  in  the  streets  of  Schenec- 
tady. It  is  said  the  whole  company  of  fusileers  would  have 
been  massacred,  but  for  the  intercession  of  Corlear,  a  Dutch- 
man greatly  beloved  by  the  Mohawks,  who  humanely  inter- 
ceded in  their  behalf.  ^ 

Information  of  the  approach  of  the  French  having  been 
sent  to  Fort  Albany  by  the  authorities  of  Schenectady,  three 
of  the  principal  citizens  were  sent  to  M.  de  Courcelles  to 
inquire  what  were  his  intentions  in  invading  the  country 
belonging  to  the  English.  De  Courcelles  replied  that  he  had 
no  desire  to  molest  the  English  in  their  possessions,  but  came 
solely  to  seek  out  and  punish  the  3Iohawks,  who  were  the 
unrelenting  enemies  of  the  French.  He  also  represented  to 
them  the  state  of  his  army,  worn  out  with  fatigue  and  hunger, 
and  requested  that  they  would  sell  him  provisions  and 
consent  that  he  might  send  his  wounded  to  Albany.  The 
English  readily  assented  to  this,  and  the  next  day  seven 
wounded  Frenchmen  were  sent  to  Albany.  The  inhabitants 
also  carried  large  quantities  of  beans,  bread  and  other  pro- 
visions to  the  French  camp,  for  which  they  were  liberally 
paid. 

De  Courcelles  having  rested  his  men  until  the  l.?th,  sud- 
denly broke  up  his  camp  and  hastily  retraced  his  steps  to 
Lake  Champlain,  and  from  thence  to  Canada.  The  Mohawks, 
who  were  at  their  first  village,  learning  the  retreat  of  the 
French,  immediately  started  in  pursuit,  and  followed  them 
as  far  as  the  lake,  where  they  took  three  prisoners  and 


1  Gordon  says   the  whole  of  De  Courcelles'   party  would  havo 
been  destroyed  but  for  the  intercession  of  Corlear. 


|:^.,„ 


LAKE  CHAJIPLAiy. 


27 


found  the  bodies  of  five  men  who  had  perished  of  cold  and 
hunger.! 

The  expedition  of  M.  de  Courcelles,  although  it  had 
failed  to  reach  the  Mowhak  villages,  through  the  mistake  of 
the  guides,  caused  much  anxiety  to  the  Indians ;  nor  were 
their  fears  diminished  by  the  information  communicated  by 
the  prisoners  that  M.  de  Tracy  intended  to  send  a  much 
larger  force  into  their  country  the  next  summer.  '  To  avert 
the  threatening  storm  they  determined  to  make  immediate 
overtures  of  peace.  Accordingly,  in  June,  1G66,  ten  ambas- 
sadors from  the  Mohawks,  accompanied  by  a  delegation  of 
Oneidas,  repaired  to  Quebec,  asking  protection  for  their 
people  and  a  renewal  of  the  old  treaties  of  peace.  M.  do 
Tracy  at  first  refused  to  receive  their  wampum  belts,  but 
perceiving  that  this  caused  them  great  anxiety,  he  finally 
accepted  their  proposals.  But  while  the  negotiations  were 
in  progress  at  Quebec,  and  just  as  the  French  viceroy  began 
to  congratulate  himself  upon  the  future  security  of  his  co- 
lony, a  tragedy  took  place  on  Lake  Champlain,  which  for  the 
time  defeated  his  plans,  and  destroyed  all  his  confidence  in 
the  professions  of  the  Indian  deputies. 

Fort  St.  Anne  was  at  this  time  garrisoned  by  several  com- 
panies of  the  Carignan  regiment,  one  of  which  was  com- 
manded by  Sieur  de  Chasy,  a  nephew  of  the  viceroy.  Ap- 
prised of  the  friendly  professions  of  the  Mohawks  and  their 
desire  for  peace,  the  ambassadors  of  that  nation  having 
passed  the  fort  on  thei»  way  to  Quebec,  the  officers  relaxed 
their  usual  vigilance  and  amused  themselves  with  fishing  and 
hunting  in  the  neighborhood.  While  a  small  party  of 
French  officers  and  soldiers  were  thus  engaged,  they  were 
suddenly  attacked  by  a  band  of  Mohawk  Indians,  who  killed 


i) 


1  Doc.  Hist.  New  York,  I,  pp.  64  et  seq. 


28 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIX. 


two  Carignan  captains,  de  Travesy  and  de  Chasy,  and  took 
Beveral  volunteers  prisoners.  Information  of  this  treacher- 
ous act  was  immediately  sent  to  Quebec,  and  one  of  the 
Indian  deputies  had  the  vain  audacity  to  boast,  at  M.  dc 
Tracy's  table,  that  he  had  slain  the  officers  with  his  own 
hand.  The  Indian  was  seized  and  strangled  on  the  spot; 
and  M.  de  Tracy,  breaking  off  all  negotiations,  sent  M.  do 
Sorel,  at  the  head  of  three  hundred  men,  against  the  Mohawk 
villages,  with  orders  to  overrun  the  whole  country,  and  to 
put  every  inhabitant  to  the  sword.  M.  de  Sorel  had  by 
forced  marches  crossed  Lake  Champlain,  and  was  pushing 
rapidly  towards  the  Indian  villages,  when  he  was  met  by  a 
new  deputation  from  the  Mohawks,  bringing  back  the  French- 
men taken  prisoners  near  Fort  St.  Anne,  and  offering  every 
satisfaction  for  the  murders  committed  there. 

Still  desirous  to  secure  peace,  and  in  the  belief  that  the 
demonstration  already  made  had  over-awed  the  Indians,  M. 
de  Sorel  retraced  his  steps  to  Quebec,  where  negotiations 
were  again  resumed  with  such  success  that,  on  the  12th  of 
July  a  treaty  was  signed  by  which  the  Indians  agreed  to 
restore  the  Canadian,  Algonquin  and  Huron  prisoners  in 
their  hands,  and  to  become  the  fast  friends  and  allies  of  the 
French.  On  the  other  part,  the  viceroy  promised  to  extend 
his  protection  over  their  nation,  "to  send  some  black  gowns 
(Jesuit  missionaries)  among  them  "  and  "  to  open  a  trade 
and  commerce  by  the  Lac  du  Sainte  Sacrement. "  ^ 


1  Relations,  en  ann^es  1665-6. 


CHAPTER  II. 

M.  de  Tracy  collects  a  Inrgo  Army  nt  Islo  La  Motto— Ho  mnrches  agftlnut  and 
d(!Htroys  the  Molmwk  V'illiige!*— Condition  of  Canada— Du  Calllcrea'  Pro  t-ct 
fortlu!  Invaxion  of  New  York— Burnin),' of  Schenectady —Captain  John  Schuy- 
ler's Attack  on  Fort  Luprairie— Major  Philip  Schuyler's  Kxpedltlon  to  Can- 
ada—l>e  Kronionac  marches  against  the  Mohawks. 

War  is  the  delight  of  the  savage.  It  furnishes  an  excitc- 
niont  necessary  to  his  happiness.  Without  it  he  pines  and 
wastes  in  insufferable  quiet;  a  restless,  miserable  being. 
To  gratify  his  passion  for  war  he  hesitates  not  to  violate  the 
most  sacred  treatics,or  break  the  ties  of  long-continued  friend- 
ship. "We  must  either,"  says  Sir  William  Johnson,*  "  permit 
these  people  to  cut  each  other's  throats,  or  risk  their  fury  on 
our  traders  and  defenceless  frontiers." 

M.  de  Tracy  soon  found  that  he  could  only  secure  perma- 
nent peace  and  quiet  to  the  colony,  by  an  expedition  into  the 
Mohawk  country  of  such  force  as  to  make  that  implacable 
nation  feel  the  destructive  power  of  the  French  arms.  With 
Buch  an  army  he  now  prepared  to  march  against  the  Indian 
villages  on  the  Mohawk  River.  Never  had  Fort  St.  Anne 
presented  so  lively  a  scene  as  was  beheld  there  in  Septem- 
ber, 1666.  Within  the  fort  and  close  under  its  defences 
were  collected  six  hundred  veterans  of  the  Carignan-Salieres, 
while  on  the  main  shore  opposite  lay  encamped  an  equal 
number  of  volunteers,  habita7is  of  the  colony.  One  hundred 
Huron  and  Algonquin  warriors,  bedaubed  with  paint  and 
bedecked  with  feathers,  stalked  majestically  among  the 
crowd,  and  rendered  the  night  boisterous  with  their  war 
songs  and  dances.    The  labor  of  preparing  this  expedition^ 


'r 


in 


' 


'-  %■'■ 


• 


>  Letter  to  Earl  of  Hillsborough. 


80 


LAKE  CUAMPLAIN. 


the   largest  which  had  yet  been  collected  on  Lake  Cham- 
plain,  was  confined  to  M.  Talon,  inteudant  of  New  Franco. 

On  the  Ist  of  October  M.  do  Courcelles  started  from  the 
fort  at  the  head  of  four  hundred  men.  On  the  3d  the  main 
body  of  the  army  moved  off  under  the  immediate  command 
uf  M.  de  Tracy,  who,  despite  his  advanced  years,  was  deter- 
mined to  lead  the  expedition  in  person.  Four  days  after- 
wards Sieurs  de  Chambly  and  licrthier  followed  with  the 
rear  guard.  The  progress  of  the  army  after  it  reached 
the  upper  end  of  the  lake  was  slow  and  laborious,  as  the  men 
dragged  with  them  two  small  pieces  of  cannon  and  three 
hundred  bateaux  or  bark  canoes,  which  had  been  provided  for 
crossing  the  lakes  and  rivers  on  the  route.  It  was  de  Tracy's 
intention  to  surprise  the  Indians  before  .'aey  should  learn  of 
his  advance;  but,  notwithstanding  the  gveat  caution  of  the 
troops,  the  Mohawks  received  timely  information  of  their 
approach,  and  abandoning  the  villages,  secreted  themselves 
in  the  surrounding  forests,  or  ascended  the  mountains,  and  - 
from  a  distance  fired  random  shots  at  the  soldiers.  The 
French  found  the  cabins  of  this  nation  larger  and  better  built 
than  any  they  had  seen  olsewhere.  The  villages  were  sur- 
rounded by  a  triple  palisade  twenty  feet  in  height,  newly  re- 
paired and  strengthened  and  flanked  by  four  bastions.  Large 
quantities  of  Indian  corn,  beans  and  other  provisions  were 
stored  away  in  magazines  sunk  in  the  ground )  and  numerous 
bark-tanks,  filled  with  water,  stood  within  the  enclosure  to 
supply  the  inhabitants,  and  to  aid  in  extinguishing  fires 
when  necessary.  Everything  indicated  that  the  Indians  in- 
tended to  make  a  strong  defence,  had  they  not  been  intimid- 
atefl  by  the  strength  and  numbers  of  the  invaders.  But  as 
it  was,  not  a  warrior  or  able-bodied  man  was  to  be  seen ; 
they  had  fled,  leaving  behind  only  the  women  and  a  few 
old  and  decrepit  men  too  feeble  to  escape.  These  M.  de 
Tracy  retained  as  prisoners.     In  this  manner  he  passed 


LAKE  CHAMPLAm. 


31 


through  the  whole  country  until  he  reached  the  most  remote 
Mohawk  village,  which  he  burned.  After  celebrating  mass 
and  returning  thanks  to  God  for  the  success  of  the  enterprise, 
the  French  retraced  their  steps  towards  Canada,  on  their 
way  burning  the  other  villages  and  destroying  all  the  provi- 
sions they  could  not  carry  off.' 

While  the  army  was  passing  near  Schenectady  on  its  re- 
turn, M.  de  Courcelles  called  upon  Corlear,  who  it  will  bo 
remembered  had  rendered  the  French  such  signal  service 
the  preceding  winter,  and  invited  him  to  visit  Canada.  On 
Lake  Champlain  the  fleet  of  boats  encountered  a  heavy 
storm,  which  capsized  two  canoes  with  eight  persons  on 
board,  all  of  whom  were  unfortunately  drowned.  Among 
the  persons  thus  lost  were  Corlear  and  Lieut.  Sieur  de  Lu- 
ges, an  officer  of  great  merit  and  distinction. ^ 

The  expedition  of  M.  de  Tracy  effectually  subdued  the 
Mohawks,  and  for  the  next  twenty-years  secured  the  settle- 
ments on  the  St,  Lawrence  from  the  inroads  of  that  nation. 
But  Canada  was  not  destined  long  to  enjoy  the  blessings  of 
profound  peace.  Ten  years  had  scarcely  clasped  before  she 
found  herself  again  engaged  in  a  destructive  war  with  the 
Western  Iroquois,  which  continued,  with  short  intervals  of 
truce  and  with  varied  success,  until  the  treaty  of  Utrecht  in 
1713,      For  several  years  after  the  commencement  of  this 


>  Relations,  ^c,  en  la  Nouv :  France,  en  annces  1GC5-G. 

"The  accounts  of  these  expeditions  through  Lake  Champlain  do 
not  clearly  indicate  the  route  followed  by  the  French,  but  it  was 
probably  along  the  western  border  of  the  lake  as  far  south  as  the 
outlet  of  Lake  George,  then  up  the  outlet  and  through  that  lake 
to  its  head,  from  whence  it  crossed  the  country  to  the  waters  of 
the  Hudson  River.  In  the  treaty  between  the  French  and  Iroquois, 
referred  to  at  the  close  of  the  preceding  chapter,  it  was  expressly 
provided  that  trade  and  commerce  be  opened  to  the  Iroquois,  with 
New  France,  by  the  lake  du  Saint  Sacrement. 


ss 


LAKE  CnAMPLAIN. 


war  tho  English  colonists  woro  on  friendly  terms  with  those 
of  Canada,  and  repeatedly  refused  to  aid  the  Western  Iro- 
quois in  their  controversy  with  tho  French.  They  wore 
equally  careful  to  do  nothing  to  prevent  it.  "  The  five  Na- 
tions arc  a  bulwark  between  us  and  the  French, "  said  (jov- 
ornor  Dongan.'  That  bulwark  was  strongest  in  war.  In 
times  of  peace  it  might  crumble  into  atoms. 

The  accession  of  William  and  Mary  to  the  throne  of  Eng- 
land in  1680,  was  followed  by  a  war  between  the  English 
and  French,  which  continued  until  the  peace  of  Kyswick  in 
1G97.  Tho  news  of  the  quarrel  between  the  mother  countries 
soon  reached  America,  and  found  the  colonists  of  both  nations 
not  only  willing,  but  anxious  to  participate  in  the  struggle. 
The  Chevalier  de  Callieres,  who  was  governor  of  Montreal 
and  commander-in-chief  of  the  troops  and  militia  in  Canada, 
visited  France  in  the  year  1G89,  and  submitted  to  the  king 
a  project  for  the  reduction  of  the  province  of  New  York, 
the  recstablishment  of  French  ascendency  over  the  Five 
Nations,  and  the  consequent  control  of  tho  lucrative  fur 
trade  of  America. 

De  Callieres'  plan  was  to  lead  an  army  of  two  thousand 
men  up  the  Richelieu  lliver  and  Lake  Champlain  as  far  as 
the  carrying  place  between  Wood  Creek  and  the  Hudson 
River,  where  he  would  build  a  small  log  fort,  and  garrison  it 
with  two  hundred  men  to  guard  the  bateaux  during  his 
absence.  With  the  rest  of  his  army  he  would  march  direct- 
ly against  Fort  Orange  (Albany)  which  he  would  seize,  and 
then,  embarking  in  the  boats  and  canoes  found  there,  would 
push  on  for  New  York.  This  town  he  reprasented  as  con- 
taining two  hundred  houses,  and  protected  by  a  small  fort 
which  could  offer  but  a  slight  resistance  to  his  attack.  To 
prevent  succor  reaching  the  town  from  Boston  or  England 


^DoDgan's  Report  to  the  Committee  of  Trade:  1C87. 


LAKE  CHAMPL.iry. 


lie  rof(nir(Ml  that  two  ships  of  war  .should  ho  sent  to  cruise 
in  the  mouth  of  tho  river  until  his  arrival.  Do  Callioros 
prodicttMl  the  f;reatcst  hencfits  to  France  from  tho  success  of 
ills  prnjoct.  "  It  will,  "ho  (loclared,  "  firmly  cstahlish  tho 
Christian  religion  as  well  anionjj;  the  ir(i(|Uois  as  amon;;  tho 
other  savaj;es  to  whom  wc  shall  ho  able  to  speak  as  masters, 
when  tliey  are  encrieled  on  tho  side  of  Canada  as  well  as  of 
New  Vo.k.  It  will  secure  and  facilitate  tho  cod-tishory, 
which  is  carried  on  alonp;  our  coasts  of  Lacadie  and  on 
the  (ireat  IJank.  Jt  will  give  his  majesty  one  of  tho  finest 
harbors  in  America  whiv;!  can  he  entered  during  almost  all 
seasons  of  the  year,  in  less  than  one  month  of  very  easy  navi- 
gation." Accept  the  favorable  op])ortunity  which  presents 
itself  of  becoming  masters  of  New  York,  adds  de  Calliercs  in 
conclusion,  and  the  trade  of  our  colony  will  flourish ;  reject  it 
and  English  intrigues  with  the  Iroijuois  and  other  savages 
will  destroy  Canada  in  a  little  while.* 

The  French  king  received  de  Callicres  with  favor,  and  in 
June  of  the  same  year  sent  instructions  to  Count  d  Fronto- 
nac,  then  viceroy  of  Canada,  to  organize  an  cxp  ilition  to 
carry  out  tho  proposed  plan,  and  directed  that  do  Calliercs 
.should  be  appointed  governor  of  tho  conquered  province. 
The  king  also  ordered  Sieur  Bogon  to  send  out  two  ships  of 
war  under  command  of  Sieur  do  la  Caffiniero,  who  was  in- 
structed to  place  himself  under  the  direction  of  de  Fronto- 
nac.  Should  the  proposed  expedition  fail,  de  Caffiniero  was 
ordered  "to  make  war  against  tho  F^nglish,  and  to  range 
along  the  coasts  of  Now  England  and  New  York,  to  capture 
as  many  prizes  as  possible,  and  to  remain  there  until  he  havo 
•10  more  provisions  than  are  necessary  for  his  return  to 
M'ance.  - 
"While  tho  French  were  engaged  in  prosecuting  tho  war 


u 


'Dc  Calliercs  to  the  Marquis  of  Seignclny,  January,  1089. 
'Instructions  to  Count  de  i'ronteuac,  June  7tli,  1(J8'J. 


34 


LAKE  CnAMPLAiy. 


with  the  Indians  at  the  west,  they  seem  to  have  been  regard- 
less of  the  exposed  state  of  the  frontier  towards  Lake  Cham- 
plain.  The  old  forts  of  St.  x\nne  and  St.  Theresa,  which  had 
proved  so  great  a  protection  twenty  years  before,  were 
Buflfered  to  decay.  Montreal  was  not  fortified;  a  triple 
palisade,  in  poor  repair,  being  its  main  defence.  Indeed  the 
only  work  in  that  quarter  of  any  strength  was  the  fort  at 
Chambly,  which  had  been  rebuilt  of  stone  and  was  surrounded 
by  a  small  but  flourishing  settlement.  On  the  12th  of 
November,  1G87,  a  formidable  party  of  the  Iroquois  suddenly 
attacked  this  fort.  The  garrison  made  a  successful  resistance, 
but  the  sett.ement  around  was  ravaged  and  several  of  the 
inhabitants  taken  prisoners.  A  few  days  later  the  whole 
country  between  the  St.  Lawrence  and  the  Richelieu  swarmed 
with  a  savage  host,  who  demanded  immediate  audience 
with  the  governor,  M.  de  Denonville,  and  haughtily  dictated 
peace  to  the  weak  and  terrified  inhabitants.  "  Look, "  cried 
the  proud  chief,  pointing  towards  a  band  of  twelve  hundred 
warriors  at  his  back,  "we  are  like  the  leaves  of  the  forest  in 
number,  and  stronger  than  the  mighty  oak.  Your  people 
are  few  and  weak.  We  have  no  occasion  to  lift  our  whole 
hand,  for  our  little  finger  is  sufficient  to  destroy  you." 
Denonville  bowed  before  a  storm  he  could  not  resist,  and  con- 
cluded a  treaty  upon  the  terms  proposed  by  the  savages. 

Of  short  duration  was  this  boon  of  peace  to  the  French, 
the  acceptance  of  which  alike  proclaimed  their  own  humilia- 
tion and  the  power  of  their  savage  foe.  On  the  2Gth  of  July, 
1688,  twelve  hundred  Indian  warriors  landed  on  the  island 
of  Montreal,  and  having  overpowered  a  force  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty  Canadians  and  fifty  Indians  imprudently  sent  against 
them,  devastated  the  whole  settlement,  killing  nearly  a 
thousand  of  the  inhabitants  and  carrying  two  hundred  of 
them  into  captivity.!   The  St.  Lawrence  frontier  was  now  at 


'Gordon — Warburton,  vol.  I. 


i  I 


LAKE  CJIAMPLAIX. 


85 


the  mercy  of  the  fierce  and  relentless  Iroquois.  The  power  of 
the  French  was  paralyzed;  trade  lanj^uished,  agriculture  was 
interrupted,  and  the  very  existence  of  the  colony  threatened. 

Such  was  the  gloomy  condition  of  affairs  when  the  instruc- 
tions of  the  king  for  an  invasion  of  New  York,  reached  the 
Count  de  Frontenac.  The  troops  in  Canada  consisted  of 
thirty-five  companies  of  regulars,  each  of  which,  when  full, 
uumhered  fifty  men.  But  at  least  four  hundred  and  fifty 
were  required  to  fill  the  ranks,  so  that  the  actual  number  did 
not  exceed  thirteen  hundred.'  Of  the  hahltans  three  thou- 
sand were  able  to  bear  arms.'-  Although  de  Frontenac  could 
not  send  out  an  expedition  of  the  magnitude  and  strength 
proposed  in  his  instructions,  he  nevertheless  determined  to 
organize  three  small  detachments  to  march  against  the  Eng- 
lish. One  was  to  rendezvous  at  Montreal,  and  was  to  proceed 
against  Albany ;  another  was  to  assemble  at  Three  Rivers, 
from  whence  a  descent  was  to  be  made  upon  the  settlements 
near  the  Connecticut ;  and  the  third  was  to  start  from  Quebec 
to  attack  the  settlements  on  the  seaboard,  east  of  Boston. 

The  party  which  left  Three  Rivers  surprised  and  destroyed 
the  English  settlement  of  Salmon  Falls,  and  on  their  retreat, 
falling  in  with  M.  de  Mamerval,  who  had  marched  from 
Quebec,  they  joined  him  in  an  attack  on  the  fortified  village 
of  Kaskebe  upon  the  sea  coast,  which  they  captured  after  a 
severe  struggle.'* 

The  third  and  most  important  detachment  numbered  two 
hundred  and  ten  men,  including  ninety-six  Huron  and  Algon- 
quin Indians.     This  detachment  was  placed  under  the  ccm- 


iDc  Callieres  to  the  Marquis  of  Seignelay. 

»  This  was  the  estimated  number  in  1687.  It  had  probably 
decreased  during  the  two  succeeding  years. — See  Gov.  Dongan'i 
Report  lo  Board  of  Trade. 

•  Warburton,  vol.  I. 


;;l 


] 


I 


'i 


.}  i. 


iMM: 


36 


LAKE  CUAMPLAIX. 


mand  of  two  Canadian  officers,  Sicur  la  Moyno  de  Kt.  Ilelcno 
and  Lieutenant  d'Aillebout  do  Mantet,  havinj^  under  them 
d'Iberville  and  de  Moutesson.  Attached  to  the  expedition 
as  volunteers  were  Sieurs  de  ]}onrepos  and  do  la  Brossc,  two 
Calvinist  officers,  and  Sieurs  de  Blainvilleand  de  3Iontigny. 
The  party  left  Montreal  about  the  middle  of  the  month  of 
January.  1G90,  and  crossing  to  the  llichelieu  ascended  that 
river  and  Lake  Champlain  on  the  ice.  At  the  close  of  the 
sixth  day's  march  a  consultation  was  held  to  determine  the 
route  to  be  taken,  and  to  regulate  the  plan  of  attack.  The 
Indians  asked  where  the  officers  proposed  to  lead  them.  To 
this  de  St.  Helene  replied  that  he  had  received  no  orders  to 
march  against  any  particular  place,  but  generally  to  act  us 
he  should  think  best,  and  that  he  wished  to  attack  and  sur- 
prise Fort  Orange,  which  he  represented  as  the  capital  of 
New  York  and  a  place  of  considerable  importance.  The 
Indians,  remembering  the  defeats  of  the  French  during  the 
preceding  year,  and  holding  their  prowess  in  light  esteem, 
opposed  this  plan  as  rash  and  impracticable.  "Attack  an 
armed  fort  indeed,"  cried  a  swarthy  warrior  sarcastically. 
"Since  when  have  the  French  become  so  desperate?"  "We 
wish  to  regain  our  honor,"  replied  do  Mantet,  "  or  perish  in 
so  glorious  an  enterprise."  The  Indians,  however,  remained 
unconvinced,  and  the  party  moved  on  without  coming  to  a 
decision. 

Eight  days  after  this  the  party  reached  the  point  where  the 
two  routes  to  Albany  and  Schenectady  diverged.  The  In- 
dians took  the  road  leading  towards  Schenectady,  and  the 
French  followed  without  objection.  Nine  days  afterwards  they 
arrived,  about  four  in  the  evening,  within  two  miles  of  that 
place.  Hero  the  savages  were  addressed  by  one  of  their 
chiefs,  who  urged  them  to  lose  all  recollection  of  their  fa- 
tigue, and  to  prepare  to  take  ample  revenge  for  the  injuries 
they  had  received  from  the  Iroquois  at  the  instigatioa  of  th^ 


LAKE  ClIAMPLAIN. 


37 


English.  liavin"  halted  here  to  refresh  thcir.selvcs  anil 
prepare  their  arms,  the  party  moved  on,  and  about  11  o'clock 
came  within  sight  of  the  village.  The  night  was  intensely 
cold  and  the  citizens  had  retired  early  to  bed — even  those 
who  usually  guarded  the  gates  of  the  palisade  had  with- 
drawn, leaving  the  entrances  open  and  undefended.  In  pro- 
found silence  the  Canadian  officers  marched  into  the  village 
and  distributed  their  forces  among  the  scattered  houses.  As 
soon  as  each  man  was  properly  posted,  the  savages  raised 
the  war  cry,  and  the  whole  force  rushed  upon  the  unconscious 
inhabitants.  De  Mantet,  at  the  head  of  one  party,  assaulted 
a  small  fort  which  he  captured  and  burned;  putting  to  death 
all  who  defended  it.  Do  St.  Heleue  rushed  against  i\\*\  bar- 
ricaded doors  of  the  private  houses,  beating  them  down  with 
muskets  and  slaughtering  every  one  who  opposed  his  progress. 
In  the  confusion,  M.  dc  Montigny  was  wounded  by  the 
thrust  of  a  spear.  The  massacre  lasted  for  two  hours,  and 
during  that  time  sixty  of  the  inhabitants,  including  women 
and  children,  were  butchered  in  cold  blood.  Having  pilhiged 
and  burned  every  house  in  the  village  but  two,  the  French 
and  Indians,  early  the  next  morning,  started  on  their  return 
to  Canada,  taking  with  them  twenty-seven  prisoners  and  car- 
ryiiig  off  fifty  horses,  besides  a  (juantity  of  other  property. i 
The  news  of  this  murderous  assault  reached  Albany  about 
five  o'clock  the  next  morning,  and  created  the  greatest  con- 
sternation among  its  inhabitants.  Alarm  guns  were  fired 
from  the  fort,  messages  were  sent  to  Esopus  for  assistance, 
and  Laurence,  a  Mohawk  chief  then  in  Albany,  hurried  to 
the  Mohawk  castles  to  bring  down  the  warriors  of  that  nation. 
In  three  days  a  party  of  fifty  young  men  from  Albany  and 


I  M.  de  Monseignat's  account.  In  this  account  it  is  stated  that 
"  some  twenty  Mohawks  were  spared,  in  order  to  show  them  that 
it  was  the  English  and  not  they  against  whom  the  grudge  was 
entertained." 


■i  ! 


'    4 


I'l 


38 


LAKE  CHAMPLAm. 


one  hundred  and  fifty  Indians  were  collected  at  Schenectady, 
and  started  in  pursuit  of  the  retreating  marauders.  At 
Crown  Point  the  young  men  gave  out,  but  Laurence  and  his 
Indians  continued  on  as  far  as  Canada,  and  succeeded  in 
overtaking  a  party  of  Canadians,  who  had  dropped  to  the 
roar  of  the  main  body,  of  whom  they  killed  six  and  took 
twelve  prisoners. 

The  accounts  given  by  these  prisoners  were  of  the  most 
startling  nature.  Count  do  Frontenac,  they  said,  was  busily 
engaged  preparing  for  an  invasion  of  New  York.  He  had 
already  built  one  hundred  and  twenty  bateaux  and  one  hun- 
dred birch  canoes,  and  he  intended  to  pass  up  Lake  Cham- 
plain  in  the  spring  at  the  head  of  fifteen  hundred  regular 
troops  and  one  thousand  allied  Indians.  Letters  were  now 
addressed  by  Lieutenant  Governor  Leisler  to  the  governors 
of  the  different  provinces,  calling  earnestly  for  aid  to  protect 
the  exposed  frontier  beyond  Albany.  The  Five  Nations  were 
also  assembled  in  council,  and  agreed  to  furnish  eighteen 
hundred  warriors  to  fight  the  French. 

Nor  were  the  authorities  of  Albany  idle.  On  the  26th  of 
March  they  ordered  Captain  Jacob  to  proceed  to  Crown 
Point  with  seventeen  English  and  twenty  Indians,  and  there 
watch  the  movements  of  the  enemy.  Four  days  later  Captain 
Abram  Schuyler  was  sent  with  nine  men  and  a  party  of 
Mohawks  under  Laurence,  to  take  post  at  Otter  Creek,  for  a 
similar  purpose.  Captain  Schuyler,  while  posted  at  Otter 
Creek,  led  a  scouting  party  of  eight  Indians  as  far  as  Cham- 
bly,  where  ho  encountered  a  small  party  of  the  French,  of 
whom  he  killed  two  and  took  one  prisoner. ' 

About  the  10th  of  April,  one  of  the  parties  on  Lake  Cham- 
plain  sent  in  word  that  they  had  discovered  the  track  of 
twelve  French  and  Indians,  proceeding  in  the  direction  of 
Albany.    Warning  of  danger  was  immediately  sent  through- 


'  Documentary  History  of  '  "rw  York. 


\ 


// 


LAKE  CUAyiFLAIN. 


39 


out  the  country,  and  the  inhabitants  wore  advised  to  retreat 
into  the  neighboring  towns  for  safety.  Two  families,  residing 
near  Schenectady,  neglected  the  advice,  and  were  attacked 
during  the  night,  eleven  of  their  number  being  killed  or 
captured,  i 

Apprehending  that  this  success  might  excite  the  .French 
to  further  outrage,  the  New  York  colonists  hastened  their 
preparations  for  the  invasion  of  Canada.  On  the  1st  of  May 
an  agreement  was  concluded  between  the  provinces  of 
Massachusetts,  Connecticut  and  New  York,  by  which  each 
was  vo  furnish  its  quota  of  troops  for  the  expedition.'-  At 
the  urgent  request  of  New  England  the  command  of  the 
expedition  was  conferred  upon  John  Winthrop. 

A  naval  expedition  was  also  fitted  out  by  the  colonists 
and  sent  against  Quebec,  under  command  of  Sir  William 
Phipps. 

The  army  under  Major  General  Winthrop,  numbering 
eight  hundred  men,  left  Albany  about  the  1st  of  August, 
and  proceeded  on  its  march  as  far  as  Wood  Creek.  There 
Winthrop  waited  a  few  days  for  the  promised  reinforcement 
of  Indians,  but  these  not  arriving,  nor  furnishing  a  supply  of 
canoes  to  cross  the  lake,  as  they  had  promised  to  do,  he 
called  a  council  of  war,  who  decided  it  inexpedient  to  pro- 
ceed further.  The  expedition  was  therefore  abandoned,  and 
the  troops  returned  to  Albany,  where  they  were  disbanded. 

Attached  to  Winthrop's  army  was  Captain  John  Schuyler 
of  Albany,  a  man  of  great  bravery  and  energy  of  character, 
and  of  considerable  experience  in  border  warfare.  Schuyler, 
who  was  dissatisfied  with  the  decision  of  the  council  of  war 


1  Docummtary  Ilittory  of  New  York. 

*New  York  was  to  furnish  four  hundred  men;  Massachusetts, 
one  hundred  and  sixty ;  Connecticut,  one  hundred  and  thirty  five, 
and  Plymouth,  sixty.     Maryland  promised  ono  hundred  men. 


V :  -  i 


40 


LAKE  CnAMPLAIX. 


which  he  considered  weak  and  cowardly,  declared  the  cam- 
paign should  not  be  abandoned  so  easily.  Beating  up  for 
volunteers  he  soon  gathered  around  him  a  little  band  of 
twenty-nine  followers,  each  as  bold  and  daring  as  himself. 
To  these  he  added  one  hundred  and  twenty  Indians  who 
had  arrived  at  the  camp  under  command  of  JurJien,  called 
the  Ferocious,  and  having  loaded  a  number  of  canoes  with 
provisions,  proceeded,  on  the  IBth  of  August,  as  far  as 
Canaghsionie  (probably  Whitehall)  where  he  encamped  for 
the  night.  The  next  day  he  again  embarked  with  his  party 
and  on  the  21st  of  the  month  reached  a  point  "one  mile 
below  the  sand  bank  of  Chambly.''^  In  the  course  of  the 
journey  one  of  the  Indians  died.  "He  died  of  sickness," 
adds  the  brave  captain,  evidently  surprised  that  so  ijuict  a 
death  should  be  reserved  for  a  Mohawk. 

On  the  22d  the  little  party  having  first  secreted  their 
canoes  and  provisions,  started  by  land  for  Laprairic,  which 
lay  on  the  south  shore  of  the  St.  Lawrence  River  about 
fifteen  miles  distant.  While  Schuyler  was  slowly  approach- 
ing Laprairic,  the  inhabitants  of  that  place  were  having  a 
gala  day  in  honor  of  their  governor,  the  brave  old  Fronte- 
nac,  who  having  learned  from  !iis  scouts  that  Winthrop's 
army  had  retired,  was  marching  with  eight  hundred  men  to 
Quebec,  to  repel  the  threatened  attack  of  Sir  William  Phipps 
in  that  quarter.  Little  did  the  quiet  husbandmen  imagine, 
as  they  sat  near  their  doors  at  evening,  chatting  over  the 
stirring  incidents  of  the  day,  repeating  to  listening  ears  the 
wonders  they  had  seen,  and  rejoicing  perhaps  at  a  security 


^Schuyler  in  Lis  journal  of  this  oxpedilion  (jives  the  Indian 
names  of  several  localities  on  Laltc  CUamplain.  On  tlie  Kltli  tbo 
party,  be  tells  us,  reached  Kunondoro,  and  traveling  all  night,  ar- 
rived the  next  morning  at  Oghraro.  The  next  niglit  they  traveled 
as  far  as  Ogharonde,  where  "they  determined,  by  the  majorities, 
to  fall  upon  Fort  Laprairie." 


L\ 


fi  ! 


LAKE  CIIAMPLAIN. 


m. 


which  the  departtrre  of  the  troops  seemed  to  confirm,  that  a 
band  of  fierce  and  determined  warriors  lay  secreted  under 
the  very  trees  which  bordered  the  little  settlement,  ready 
with  the  morrow's  sun  to  bring  destruction  and  death  about 
their  rude  but  happy  homes. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  28d,  Schuyler  sent  forward 
his  spies,  who  soon  returned  with  information  that  the  in- 
habitants were  leaving  the  fort  to  go  into  the  fields  to  cut 
corn.  It  was  Schuyler's  intention  to  wait  quietly  until  they 
reached  the  fields,  and  then  place  his  party  between  them 
and  the  fort,  so  as  to  intercept  their  retreat ;  but  through  the 
eagerness  of  some  young  savages,  the  war  cry  was  prema- 
turely raised,  and  both  the  English  and  Indians  rushed  to  the 
attack  without  waiting  for  orders.  The  French,  taking 
alarm,  hastily  retired  to  the  fort,  out  not  until  six  of  their 
number  were  killed  and  nineteen  taken  prisoners.  As  soon 
as  the  prisoners  were  secured,  the  assailants  fell  upon  the 
cattle  feeding  around  the  fort,  and  killed  one  hundred  and 
fifty  head  of  oxen  and  cows.  They  also  set  fire  to  all  the 
hou.ses  and  barns  outside  the  fort,  which  were  speedily  con- 
sumed. The  English  wished  to  attack  the  fort  itself,  but 
did  not  do  so,  as  the  Indiansjrefiiscd  to  aid  them.  The  forts 
at  3Iontreal  and  Chauibly  now  answering  the  alarm  guns  fired 
at  Laprairie,  Schuyler  hastened  his  departure,  lest  his  retreat 
might  be  cut  off.  Before  leaving,  his  Indians  burned  the 
body  of  one  of  their  number,  who  had  keen  killed  during  , 
the  affray. 

The  party  retreated  about  seven  miles,  when  they  halted 
for  dinner.  The  same  evening  they  reached  the  river  and 
embarked  in  their  canoes.  The  next  daj  they  went  as  far 
as  the  ruins  of  old  Fort  St.  Anne,  and  on  the  15th  stopped 
on  the  long  sand  point  near  Port  Kent,  where  they  killed  two 
elk.     The  next  day's  journey  took  them  to  a  place  which 


lA 


i 


Is 


42 


LAKE  (JUAMPLAIN. 


Schuyler  calls  The  Little  Stone  Fort,!  from  which  a  canoo 
was  sent  forward  with  the  news.  On  the  27th  the  party 
reached  the  mouth  of  Wood  Creek,  and  on  the  31st  arrived 
with  their  prisoners  at  Albany. - 

During  the  winter  of  1690-1,  the  New  York  colonists 
were  too  much  occupied  with  their  internal  disputes  to  give 
much  attention  to  n»ilitary  affairs.  In  the  spring  however 
their  difficulties  ceased,  and  active  measures  were  at  once 
adopted  to  carry  on  the  war  with  Canada.  The  frontier  posts 
of  Albany,  Schenectady  and  Half-Moon  were  repaired,  the 
militia  reorganized  and  a  conference  held  with  the  Five  Na- 
tions, with  whom  the  French  emissaries  had  begun  to  tamper. 
The  Indians  not  only  promised  to  abandon  all  negotiations 
with  the  French,  but  pledged  themselves  to  make  war  upon 
that  people  so  long  as  they  should  live.  An  expedition  was 
now  planned  against  Canada ;  the  English  colonists  wisely 
concluding  that  the  only  way  to  secure  the  cooperation  of 
the  savages  was  to  give  them  active  employment. 

On  the  22d  of  June,  1691,  Major  Philip  Schuyler  left 
Albany  at  the  head  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  English  and 
three  hundred  Indians,  and  crossing  Lake  Champlain  by 
the  route  taken  by  his  brother,  Capt.  John  Schuyler,  ap- 
peared unexpectedly  before  Fort  Laprairie,  which  he  carried 
by  surprise,  killing  several  of  its  defenders.  De  Callieres 
then  governor  of  Montreal,  hastily  collected  eight  hundred 
troops  and  crossed  the  river,  when  the  English  retired  to 
the  woods,  where  they  met  and  destroyed  a  small  detach- 
ment sent  forward  to  cut  off  their  retreat.  A  short  time 
afterwards  M.  de  Vallerennes  coming  up  with  a  large  force,  a 


'This  was  probably  a  slight  work  thrown  up  by  Capt.  de'Waim 
at  Crown  Point  the  March  previous,  or  one  erected  at  Ticonderoga 
by  Capt.  Sanders  Glen  while  he  was  waiting  there  for  the  advance 
of  Winthrop's  army. 


;, 


'Journal  of  Cnpt.  John  Schuyler. 


V 


LAKE  CnAMFLAlN. 


43 


severe  and  desperate  battle  was  fought  between  the  two  par- 
ties. Schuyler  posted  his  men  behind  trees,  and  I'or  an  hour 
and  a  half  withstood  the  fire,  and  repelled  the  charges  of 
the  Canadian  troops.  In  this  cngagenient  the  lo.ss  of  tho 
English  was  trifling,  while  not  less  than  two  hundred  of  the 
French  were  killed  or  wounded.  Schuyler,  fearing  to  bo 
overpowered  by  superior  numbers,  now  hastily  withdrew 
and  returned  to  Albany. 

The  favorable  result  of  this  expedition  gave  a  new  impe- 
tus to  the  warlike  temper  of  the  Iroquois,  and  strengthened 
their  friendship  for  the  English.  These  Indians  for  the  next 
two  years  so  harrassed  the  French  that  de  Frontenac  de- 
termined again  to  invade  their  territory.  For  this  purpose 
he  collected  a  force  of  six  or  seven  hundred  French  and  In- 
dians, and  about  the  middle  of  January,  1C93,  set  out  from 
Montreal,  for  the  Mohawk  valley.  The  march  upon  the 
frozen  surface  of  the  lake  and  through  the  deep  snows  of 
the  forest  was  attended  with  great  hardships,  yet  such  was 
the  energy  of  the  invaders  that  early  in  February  they 
passed  Schenectady  unobserved,  and  falling  suddenly 
upon  the  first  Mohawk  village,  killed  many  of  the 
inhabitants  and  took  more  than  three  hundred  prisoners. 
As  soon  as  the  intelligence  of  this  incursion  reached 
Albany,  Major  Schuyler  collected  a  party  of  about  three 
hundred  men,  principally  Indians,  and  started  in  pursuit 
of  the  assailants,  who,  according  to  their  custom,  had 
retreated  immediately  after  the  attack.  Schuyler  con- 
tinued the  pursuit  as  far  as  the  Hudson,  and  would 
have  overtaken  the  enemy  had  not  a  severe  storm  of  snow 
and  wind  prevented  his  crossing  the  river.  As  it  was, 
he  succeeded  in  recapturing  about  fifty  of  the  prisoners, 
with  whom  he  returned  to  Albany.  The  sufierings  of  those 
engaged  in  this  expedition  were  so  great  that  the  Indians  fed 


%  I 


\'\ 


T 


44 


LAKE  CIIAMrLAIX. 


upon  tlio  tleud  bodies  of  the  enemy,  and  tlio  French  were 
compelled  to  cat  their  own  .shoes.' 

Althouf-h  the  conto.st  between  the  French  and  Eni-lish 
continued  several  years  longer,  this  was  the  last  expedition 
of  any  importance  which  entered  the  valley  of  Lake  Cham- 
plain  during  this  war.  The  peace  of  Kyswick,  in  1G1)7,  was 
soon  followed  by  a  formal  treaty  between  the  French  and 
the  Five  Nations. 


1  Gordon. 


CIIArTEll  III. 

Indian  Doprcdntions  on  the  Frontier— Fortn  built  by  tlio  New  York  C'olonljits  on 
Wood  Crut.'k— Two  Kxi)i.'dltlon«  ()ri,'iiiiizi'(l  ajjiiiuft  Ciiniulii- ('inulilli/ii  oI'llKt 
Country  alnnit  Lake  C'lianiiilaln— The  Kreiicli  build  a  Fort  at  I'rown  I'oiiit 
— Fruncl)  Urantrt  im  the  Lake— Troubles  amouj,'  the  New  York  t'olonistH— 
Attempt  to  sottlu  tho  Lundt)  lyiuj,'  between  the  Hudson  Ulver  uud  Lake 
Cbamplaln. 

The  history  of  eventa  connoctoJ  with  Lake  Chaiiiphilu 
brings  us  down  to  the  year  1701).  During  Queen  Anne's 
War,  which  commenced  in  1702,  the  frontier  towns  of  New 
England  were  severely  scourged  by  marauding  parties  from 
Canada.  Deerficld  was  destroyed  in  1704  by  a  party  of 
three  hundred  French  and  Indians  under  command  of  the 
inhuman  de  Rouville.^  In  1708,  a  party  of  four  hundred 
men,  including  savages,  crossed  the  almost  impracticable 
mountains  of  Vermont  and  New  Hampshire,  and  attacked 
the  little  fort  and  village  of  Haverhill,  which,  after  a  sharp 
defence,  they  carried  and  reduced  to  ashes. 

These  and  other  repeated  and  unprovoked  aggressions  at 
length  aroused  the  British  ministry,  who,  in  1709,  at  the  earn- 
est solicitation  of  the  colonists,  adopted  a  plan  for  the  con- 
quest of  tho  French  possiessions  in  America.  This  plan 
contemplated  an  attack  by  water  upon  Quebec,  whilst  fifteen 
hundred  men,  from  New  York  and  the  New  England  prov- 
inces, were  to  attempt  Montreal  by  the  way  of  Lake  Cham- 


1  This  expedition  followed  the  route  up  Lake  Cliamplain  to  the 
Winooski,  and  then  ascended  that  river  and  crossed  the  mountains 
to  the  Connecticut.  On  tlieir  return  they  secreted  the  bell  of 
St.  Regis  in  the  sands  of  Burlington,  where  it  remained  until  tho 
following  spring,  when  it  was  taken  to  Canada. 


I 


'i 


'i  1 
I 


V. 


ft 


46 


L.XKE  CIIAMPLAIX. 


plain.  The  inhabitants  of  New  York  entered  cordially  into 
the  schcnic.  They  not  only  furnished  their  quota  of  troops, 
but  several  volunteer  companies  were  or<^anizcd  to  join  the 
expedition.  The  Five  Nations,  through  the  exertions  of  Col. 
Peter  Schuyler,  were  induced  to  take  up  the  hatchet  and  to 
send  five  hundred  warriors  into  the  field.  New  York  also 
at  her  own  expense,  opened  a  road  from  Albany  to  Lake 
Champlain,  which  greatly  facilitated  the  movements  of  the 
troops  and  the  transportation  of  supplies. 

This  road  commenced  near  the  present  village  of  Schuy- 
Icrvillc,  and  ran  up  the  cast  side  of  the  river  to  Fort  Edward, 
and  I  hence  by  the  way  of  Wood  Creek  to  the  head  of  Lake 
Champlain,  leading  all  the  way  through  a  den.so  forest. 
Along  the  route  three  forts  were  erected  j  one  on  Wood 
Creek  near  the  present  village  of  Fort  Ann,  another  at  the 
commencement  of  the  carrying  place  between  the  Hudson 
River  and  the  head  of  Wood  Creek,  which  was  at  first 
called  Fort  Nicholson,  and  a  third  on  the  summit  of  one 
of  the  hills  opposite  Schuylerville.  These  forts  were  built 
of  timber  and  were  surrounded  by  palisades  so  constructed 
as  to  protect  the  garrisons  from  the  fire  of  musketry.  One 
hundred  bateaux  and  a  largo  number  of  canoes  were  built  at 
the  mouth  of  Wood  Creek  for  the  transportation  of  the  troops 
across  Lake  Champlain.  All  the  arrangements  for  the  cam- 
paign being  complete,  the  army  left  Albany  under  the  com- 
mand of  Col.  Nicholson  and  encamped  at  Fort  Ann,  where 
they  awaited  intelligence  of  the  arrival  of  the  expedition 
destined  for  the  attack  on  Quebec. 

These  demonstrations  on  the  part  of  the  English  colonists 
created  great  alarm  among  the  inhabitants  of  Canada,  who 
were  but  ill-prepared  to  resist  the  large  force  which  threat- 
ened both  extremes  of  the  colony.  M.  de  Vaudreuil  called 
a  council  of  war,  under  whose  advice  a  force  of  fifteen  hundred 
men  was  sent  to  Lake  Champlain  to  oppose  the  advance  of 


LAKE  CI/A3/PLAiy. 


41 


Nicholson's  army ;  but  n  iiiiHuiulcrstaiulinj;  hctwccn  the 
governor  general  anil  some  of  liis  principal  otnccrs  cnibur- 
rasMcd  the  enterprise,  and  ultimately  eau.sed  the  urniy  to 
return. 

The  two  expeditions  nj^ainst  Canada  proved  equally  abor- 
tive. The  fleet  destined  for  the  attack  of  Quebec  was 
sent  to  Lisbon  instead,  to  support  the  rortujj;uesc  against  the 
power  of  Castile ;  while  Nicholson's  army,  di.scouraged 
by  delays  and  almost  decimated  by  a  malignant  and  fatal 
muludy  which  broke  out  in  the  camp,'  returned  to  Albany, 
where  it   was  soon  afterwards  disbaniled. 

In  1711  preparation.^  were  again  made  by  the  colonists 
for  the  invasion  of  Canada.  Colonel  Nicholson,  under  whom 
served  Colonels  Schuyler,  Whitney  and  Ingoldf'by,  mustered 
at  Albany  a  strong  force,  comprising  two  thousand  English, 
one  thousand  Germans  and  one  thousand  Indians,  who,  on 
the  28th  of  August,  commenced  their  march  towards  Jiake 
Champlain,  taking  the  Lake  George  route,  instead  of  the 
unhealthy  one  by  the  way  of  \Vood  Creek,  which  had  proved 
so  fatal  to  the  troops  on  the  former  expedition.  At  the  same 
time  an  army  of  six  thou.sand  four  hundred  men,  under  brig- 
adier General  Hill,  sailed  from  Boston  on  board  of  sixty- 
eight  transports  under  convoy  of  Sir  Ilovedon  Walker,  for 
a  simultaneous  attack  on  Quebec.' 

As  soon  as  M.  de  Vaudreuil  received  intelligence  of  these 
movements  he  hastened  to  Quebec,  and  having  strengthened 
its  defences,  confided  to  M.  de  Boucourt  the  responsible  duty 


1  This  sickness  is  said  to  liavo  been  caused  by  tlie  Indians,  who 
poisoned  tlie  waters  of  tlie  Creek.  But  Doctor  Fitch  in  his  Siir- 
vet/  of  Washington  Counh/  questions  tiie  truth  of  (his  accusation, 
and  presumes  the  mahidy  to  have  been  a  malignant  dysentery, 
brought  on  by  the  troops  drinking  the  stagnant  water  which  flowed 
into  the  creek  from  the  surrounding  marshes. 

'  Gordon. 


^'i 


■  i 


Is 


LAKE  CnAMPLAIN. 


of  resisting  the  debarkation  of  the  English  troops,  and  then 
returned  to  the  defence  of  3Iontreal.  But  the  plans  of  the 
invading  army  were  destined  to  be  again  defeated.  The 
British  admiral  had  neglected  the  warningsof  an  experienced 
French  navigator  named  Paradis  who  accompanied  him, 
and  approached  too  near  a  small  island  in  the  narrow  and 
dangerous  channel  of  the  Traverse.  While  embarrassed 
amid  its  rocks,  a  sullen  squall  scattered  the  fleet,  driving 
eight  of  the  vessels  on  the  shore,  where  they  were  wrecked.' 
Charlevoix  says  nearly  three  thousand  men  were  drowned, 
whose  bodies  were  afterwards  found  scattered  along  the 
banks  of  the  river.  After  this  severe  disaster  the  admiral 
bore  away  for  Cape  Breton,  and  the  expedition  was  aban- 
doned. The  advance  corps  of  Nicholson's  army  had  scarcely 
reached  the  head  of  Lake  George,  when  intelligence  arrived 
of  the  failure  of  the  northern  expedition.  Orders  were  at 
once  given  for  their  return  to  Albany. 

These  two  attempts  upon  Canada  cost  the  province  of 
New  York  alone,  more  than  thirty  thousand  pounds  sterling. 
Their  failure  disheartened  the  inhabitants,  and  chilled  for  a 
time  the  aflfoctions  of  the  Five  Nations,  who  began  to  look 
upon  the  I]nglish  as  a  weak  and  cowardly  people.  The 
situation  of  the  New  York  colonists  was  now  most  critical, 
clouds  of  adversity  lowered  darkly  over  the  province.  The 
river  Indians  became  restless,  and  evinced  a  strong  and  grow- 
ing disposition  to  break  their  allegiance ;  the  Five  Nations 
listened  favorably  to  the  renewed  propositions  of  peace  from 
the  French,  who  threatened  an  invasion  of  the  province 
by  sea  and  land.  Happily  these  impending  evils  were 
averted  by  the  treaty  of  Utrecht,  which  was  concluded 
in  the  spring  of  1713.  By  this  treaty  the  French  king  re- 
leased his  nominal  sovereignty  over  the  Iroquois,  and  recog- 


iWarburton,  vol.  I. 


LAKE  CUAMPLAIN.  I       ^|| 

nized  their  country  as  subject  to  the  dominion  of  Great 
Britain. 

As  yet  no  settlement  had  been  permanently  established 
in  the  valley  of  Lake  Chaniplain.  Fort  St.  Anne,  built  in 
1090,  had  been  occupied  for  a  tew  years  and  then  abandoned. 
The  Little  Stone  Fort  mentioned  by  Schuyler  in  1690,  waa 
a  structure  of  no  importance  except  as  it  served  for  the  im- 
mediate protection  of  those  by  whom  it  was  erected.  Fort 
Ann,  erected  by  Colonel  Nicholson  on  Wood  Creek  in  1709, 
was  burned  by  him  on  the  return  of  his  army  to  Albany  in 
1711.  Kalm  saw  the  remains  of  the  burnt  palisades 
when  he  passed  there  thirty-eight  years:  afterwards.  In 
1713  Fort  Saratoga  was  the  nearest  post  to  the  lake  on  the 
south,  and  Forts  Laprairie  and  Chambly  on  the  north.  No 
settlements  were  commenced  within  the  present  limits  of 
Vermont  until  after  the  erection  of  Fort  Dummer,  on  the 
Connecticut  river,  in  1724. 

We  have  already  seen  that  from  the  first  settlement  of 
the  country.  Lake  Champlain  had  been  ui-ed  as  a  thorough- 
fare through  which  predatory  excursions  were  directed 
against  both  the  French  and  English  frontiers.  Its  control 
was  therefore  a  matter  of  great  importance.  No  movement 
was  however  made  to  obtain  the  command  of  this  important 
avenue  until  the  year  1731,  when  the  Marquis  de  Ueauhar- 
nois,  governor  general  of  Canada,  erected  a  fort  at  Crown 
Point,  which  he  called  St.  Frederic/  in  honor  of  Frederic 


iTho  proposition  to  erect  a  fort  at  Crown  Point  was  submitted 
to  the  French  King  in  Februai-y  1730,  who  on  the  8th  May,  1731, 
instructed  Messrs.  de  Beauharnois  luul  Ilocquart  to  erect  a  stock- 
ade until  a  stronger  work  could  bo  constructed  and  to  make  grants 
of  lands  to  such  farmers  as  would  settle  in  that  vicinity.  This 
stockade  was  a  small  work  and  could  accommodate  a  garrison  of 
30  men  only.  In  1734  a  "  redoubt  A  machicoulis  "  was  erected 
sufficient  for  a  garrison  of  120  men.     The  work  was  subsequently 

7 


'I  '  ; 


)    I 


50 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


Maurepas,  the  French  secretary  of  state.  The  English 
claimed  the  title  to  the  territory  on  both  sides  of  the  lake, 
by  virtue  of  their  treaties  with  the  Five  Nations,  and  strong- 
ly remonstrated  against,  but  took  no  steps  to  prevent  its 
unauthorized  occupation  by  the  French. 

Fort  St.  Frederic,  says  a  celebrated  traveler, "  is  built  on 
a  rock  consisting  of  black  line  slates,i  and  is  nearly  quad- 
rangular, has  high  and  thick  walls,  made  of  the  same  lime- 
stone, of  which  there  is  a  quarry  about  half  a  mile  from  the 
fort.  On  the  eastern  part  of  the  fort  is  a  high  tower,  which 
is  proof  against  bomb  shells,  provided  with  very  thick  and 
substantial  walls,  and  well  stored  with  cannon  from  the 
bottom  almost  to  the  very  top,  and  the  governor  lives  in  the 
to\7er.  In  the  terreplaine  of  the  fort  is  a  well  built  little 
church  and  houses  of  stone  for  the  oflScers  and  soldiers. 
There  are  sharp  rocks  on  all  sides  towards  the  land  beyond 
cannon  shot  from  the  fort,  but  among  them  are  some  which 
are  as  high  as  the  walls  of  the  fort  and  very  near  them. 
Within  one  or  two  musket  shots  to  the  east  of  the  fort  is  a 
windmill,  built  of  stone,  with  very  thick  walls,  and  most  of 
the  flour,  which  is  wanted  to  supply  the  fort,  is  ground  here. 
This  windmill  is  so  constructed  as  to  serve  the  purpose  of  a 
redoubt,  and  at  the  top  of  it  are  five  or  six  small  pieces  of 
cannon. "2  Subsequently  a  trench  or  wide  ditch  was  dug 
around  the  fort,  on  the  land  side,  enclosing  the  hill  referred 
to  by  Kalm.  *'  This  trench,"  says  Captain  Rogers,  who 
reconnoitered  the  place  in  1755,  "  begins  at  the  south-west 
corner  of  the  fort,  and  tends  south-westerly;  about  two 
rods  wide  at  the  fort,  and  widens  to  about  fifteen  at  the 


strengthened  and  enlarged,  and  in  1742  was,  with  the  exception  of 
Quebec,  the  strongest  work  held  by  the  French  in  Canada. — Pari$ 
Documents  in  Colonial  History  of  New   York, 

^Chazy  lioiestone — Emmons, 
»Kalm'B  Travels,  1749. 


LAKE  CEAMPLAIN. 


I 


51 


other  end."  An  enclosure  was  also  erected  about  twenty- 
five  rods  north-west  of  the  fort  which  reached  the  water's 
edge  and  surrounded  several  buildings  used  for  soldiers' 
quarters.^ 

Soon  after  the  erection  of  the  fort  a  settlement  was  formed 
about  it,  on  both  sides  of  the  lake,  composed,  principally, 
of  the  families  of  old  soldiers  who  had  been  paid  oflF  and 
discharged  from  service.  The  houses  of  some  of  the  settlers 
were  convenient  and  comfortable,  but  the  majority  lived  in 
mere  cabins  built  of  boards.  To  each  soldier  in  service  was 
allotted  a  small  piece  of  ground  near  the  walls  of  the  fort, 
which  was  cultivated  as  a  garden,  and  occasionally  occupied 
as  a  summer  residence. - 

A  small  village  stood  about  a  half  a  mile  south-west  of  the 
fort,  and  one  half  mile  further  south  was  a  hamlet,  contain- 
ing four  houses,  surrounded  by  wheat  fields,  i 

The  boats  used  by  the  inhabitants  were  of  three  kinds ; 
bark  canoes,  dugouts  or  canoes  made  of  logs  of  wood  hol- 
lowed out,  and  bateaux.  The  last  mentioned  were  construct- 
ed with  flat  bottom^  of  oak  and  sides  of  pine,  and  were 
used  for  the  transportation  of  troops  or  supplies  upon  the 
lake.  When  Kalm  visited  the  fort,  in  1749,  a  yacht  or  large 
sail  vessel  made  regular  trips  between  that  place  and  St. 
Johns,  in  Canada.'^ 

Until  1659  St.  Frederic  was  the  seat  of  French  power  on 
the  lake.  Here  was  a  rallying  point  for  the  fierce  Abena- 
quis  of  the  St.  Francis,  the  Arundacks  of  the  fertile  Ottawa, 
and  the  warlike  VVyandots  of  the  west — drawn  together  by 
a  common  love  of  revenge  or  the  hope  of  plunder.  Here 
the  ferocious  Outagamis,  the  restless  Algonquin  and  the 
vindictive   Huron  met  to  recount  their  deeds  of  barbarity. 


^Journal  of  the  Neio  Hampshire  Scout, 

'Kalm's  Traveh,  1749. 

*Kalm  says  tLb  waa  the  first  sail  vessel  built  on  the  lake. 


52 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


It  was  a  strange  and  varied  scene  often  presented  at  this 
frontier  post.  At  one  moment  would  be  heard  the  vesper 
bell  of  the  little  chapel  calling  the  rude  but  virtuous  hus- 
bandman, the  scarred  veteran  of  France  and  the  voluble 
Canadian  to  their  evening  prayers ;  while  at  the  next  the 
Tocky  shore  would  echo  to  the  loud  whoop  of  the  merciless 
savage,  returning  from  some  successiul  attack  upon  the 
neighboring  settlements.  Long  had  the  English  colonists 
cause  to  regret  that  want  of  vigilance  and  forecast  on  the 
part  of  their  rulers,  which  permitted  the  French  to  seize 
and  retain  this  controlling  position  on  the  lake. 

We  have  no  data  by  which  to  ascertain  the  exait  popula- 
tion of  the  French  settlements  around  St.  Frederic  :  but  it 
probably  at  no  time  exceeded  six  or  eight  hundred,  exclusive 
of  the  garrison  at  the  fort.i  The  period  of  the  existence 
of  these  settlements  was  confined  to  the  twenty-eight  years 
of  French  ascendency  on  the  lake.  Prior  to  1731,  the 
borders  of  the  lake,  in  every  direction,  were  wile?  and 
uncultivated ;  no  buildings  stood  upon  its  shores,  not  an 
acre  of  its  majestic  forests  had  been  cleared,  nor  had  its 
fertile  soil  been  touched  by  the  hand  of  the  husbandman. 

*In  August,  1747,  Col.  Johnson  wrote  Gov.  Clinton  that  one  of  his 
parties  of  Indians  had  just  returned  from  Crown  Point,  where, 
"they  could  see  very  few  French  and  but  about  forty  Indiana 
round  the  fort,  having  built  of  logs  six  little  houses  for  that  use, 
which  is  all  (hat  has  been  done  there  i/e(.^'  In  1750  M.  de  la  Galis- 
Bonniere,  in  a  memoir  on  the  French  colonies,  urges  the  impor- 
tance of  settling  a  French  village  at  Fort  St.  Frederic.  And 
Captain  Robert  Rogers,  who  made  several  reconnoissances  to  the 
walls  of  the  fort  in  1755-G,  describes  the  settlements  on  the  west 
side  of  the  lake  as  small  villages  or  hamlets,  which  he  burned. 
The  settlements  about  St.  Frederic  were  much  exposed,  and  at  the 
time  of  Kalm's  visit  in  1749,  had  been  once  abandoned;  the  set- 
tlers being  ordered  to  remove  to  Canada  "  or  to  settle  close  to  the 
fort  and  to  lie  in  it  at  night."  They  still  continued  to  sleep  within 
the  enclosure  of  the  fort  at  the  time  of  Rogers'  visit  in  1755-6. 


LAKE  CUAMPLAiy. 


53 


The  governor  of  Canada  did  not  confine  the  encroachments 
on  Lake  Chaniplain  to  the  vicinity  of  Crown  Point,  for  soon 
after  the  erection  of  Fort  St.  Frederic,  he  issued  grants  for 
]arge  tracts  of  hind  lying  on  both  sides  of  the  lake,  to  several 
persons  holding  office  under  the  French  king.  The  first  of 
these  grants  was  made  to  Sieur  I'ean,  major  of  the  town 
and  castle  of  Quebec,  on  the  10th  day  of  April,  1733,  and 
embraced  a  tract "  two  leagues  or  two  and  a  half  in  front, 
by  three  in  depth  along  tlie  river  Chambly  and  Lake  Cham- 
plain,  together  with  the  river  Chazy  included  therein  and 
Isle  a  la  Motte."i  Two  days  afterwards  another  grant  waa 
issued  to  Sieur  St.  Vincent,  ensign  of  foot,  for  "  two  leagues 
in  front,  by  three  leagues  in  depth  on  Lake  Champlain,"-  and 
another,  on  the  20th  of  the  same  month,  to  Sieur  la  Gauch- 
etiere,  captain  of  marines,  of  "  two  leagues  front  by  three 
leagues  deep  on  said  lake."'' 

On  the  7th  of  July,  1734,  a  grant  was  issued  to  Sieur 
Contrecour,  Jr.,  ensign  of  infantry,  for  a  tract  of  land  which 
•was  described  as  "  beginning  at  the  mouth  of  the  Rivih'e  aux 
Loutres  (Otter  Creek,  Vt.),  one  league  and  a  half  above  and 
one  league  and  a  half  below,  making  two  leagues  in  front  by 
hree  in  depth,  together  with  so  much  of  said  river  as  is 
found  included,  with  three  islets  which  are  in  front  of  said 
concession  and  depend  thereon."  On  the  20th  of  the  same 
month,  another  grant  was  made  to  Sieur  de  Beauvis  of  lands 
"two  leagues  in  front  and  three  in  depth  on  Lake  Champlain 
together  with  the  peninsula  which  is  found  to  be  in  front  of 
said  land." '  In  the  same  *  month  another  was  issued  to 
Sieur  de  la  Periere,  "  beginning  at  the  mouth  of  the  river 
Ouynouski  (Winooski)  one  league  above  and  one  league 
below,  making  two  leagues  front  by  three  leagues  in  depth, 

'Now  northern  part  of  the  town  of  Champlain,  N.  Y. 

'  Remainder  of  Champlain. 

'In  town  of  Chazy,  N.  Y. 

*Now  parts  of  Swanton  and  Iligbgate,  Vt. 


\i 


i 


-i 


■  { 


54 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


with  the  extent  of  said  river  which  will  be  found  com- 
prehended therein,  together  with  the  islands  and  battures 
adjacent."  Also  one  to  Sieur  Douville,  on  the  8th  of 
October,  173G,  for  lands  on  the  east  side  of  the  lake, 
"two  leagues  front  by  three  leagues  deep;  "^  and  another 
on  the  13th  of  June,  1737,  to  Sieur  Robart,  king's  store- 
keeper at  Montreal,  "  three  leagues  front  by  two  leagues 
in  depth  on  the  west  side  of  Lake  Champlain,  taking  in 
going  down  one  league  below  the  River  Bouquet,  and  in 
going  up,  two  and  a  h.ilf  above  said  river."  The  Island 
of  North  Hero  or  Isle  Longue  was  granted  to  Contrecour, 
captain  of  infantry,  and  M.  Rainibault  received  a  large 
concession  north  of  and  adjoining  the  lands  granted  to 
M.  de  la  Periere. 

These  grants  were  issued  subject  to  forfeiture  in  case  the 
lands  were  not  settled  and  improved  within  a  certain  time. 
This  condition  not  having  been  fulfilled,  all  but  the  two 
last  mentioned  were  reunited  to  the  king's  domains  by 
an  ordinance  of  the  governor  and  intendant  of  Canada 
of  the  10th  of  May,  1741.  The  grantees  gave  various 
reasons  why  their  lands  had  not  been  settled  within  the 
prescribed  time.  Fean  could  find  no  farmers  to  place 
upon  his  seigniory;  St.  Vincent  had  been  absent  on  the 
king's  service,  and  Contrecour  had  offered  very  advan- 
tageous inducements  to  settlers,  including  a  bonus  of  three 
hundred  livres,  but  without  success.  Sieur  Robart  had 
surveyed  his  lands  and  had  offered  every  inducement  for 
young  men  to  settle  upon  them.  These  excuses  were  not 
satisfactory  to  the  government  oflScers.  They,  however, 
declared  that  patents  would  be  reissued  to  any  who  should 
place  settlers  on  the  land  within  one  year  from  that 
time.     This  was  not  done ;  but  soon  afterwards  settlements 


•  In  town  of  Georgia,  Vt. 


MAP  OP  FRENCH  GRANTS  ON  LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


RWEHKNCES. — A,  Sieur  I*oan. — B.  Sler r  St.  Vincent,  Jr. — C,  M.  de  la  Gan- 
chetiere.— D,  M.  Robart.— G,  ?J.  C'lntrpcour,  Jr.— H,  La  Manandlere.— J,  M. 
de  la  Perlere.— K,  M.  Raimbonlt.— L,  M.  Douville.— M,  Bl.  de  Beanvois,  Jr.— 
N,  M.Contrecour.— E,  Alain ville.—F,  Uocquart.— P,  Crown  Point.— Q,  Lower 
End  of  L&kB  George. 


f  ; 


I     ii 

1        r 

■     I, 


I 


I    )' 


56 


LAKE  CHAMPLAm. 


were  formed  near  the  mouth  of  the  Big  Chazy  River  and  at 
Windmill  Point.i  which  were  occupied  for  a  short  time  and 
then  abandoned. 

The  lands  originally  granted  to  Pean  w^re,  in  1752,  con- 
ceded to  Sicur  Bedon,  councilor  in  the  superior  council  of 
Quebec,  and  by  him  afterwards  transferred  to  31.  de  Beaujeu, 
who  owned  a  seigniory  adjoining  on  the  north.  In  April, 
1734,  and  again  in  1745,  patents  of  concession  were  issued 
to  Sieur  Hocquart,  councilor  of  state  and  intendant  of  the 
naval  forces  at  Brest,  for  a  large  tract  embraced  in  the  pres- 
ent towns  of  Panton,  Addison,  and  Bridport,  Vt.,  which  Hoc- 
quart  conveyed  to  3Iichael  Chartier  de  Lotbiniere  in  17G4, 
and  in  November,  1758,  the  Marquis  de  Vaudreuil,  governor 
general  of  Canada,  granted  to  the  same  do  Lotbiniere  the 
seigniory  of  Alainville,  embracing  upwards  of  four  leagues 
front  by  five  leagues  depth,  and  lying  partly  on  Lake  George 
and  partly  on  Lake  Champlain. 

The  aggregate  of  these  concessions  embraced  over  eight 
hundred  square  miles  of  territory.  No  permanent  .settlements 
were  made  however  under  any  of  the  grants,  except  of  parts 
of  the  seigniories  of  Hocquart  and  Alainville,  in  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  Crown  Point  and  Ticonderoga.  After 
the  conquest  of  Canada  the  grantees  petitioned  for  a  con- 
firmation of  their  titles,  but  this  the  British  government 
refused,  at  the  same  time,  however^  declaring  that  the  claim- 


1  The  first  houses  I  saw  after  leaving  Fort  St.  Frederic  were 
some  on  the  western  side  of  the  lake,  about  ten  French  miles  from 
St.  Johns,  in  which  the  French  lived  before  the  last  war,  and  which 
they  then  abandoned.  *  *  *  A  windmill,  built  of  stone,  stands 
on  the  east  side  of  the  lake,  on  a  projecting  piece  of  ground.  Some 
Frenchmen  lived  near  to  it.  From  this  mill  to  Fort  St.  Johns  they 
reckon  eight  French  miles.  The  English,  with  their  Indians,  have 
burned  the  house*  here  several  times,  but  the  mill  remained  unhurt. 
—  Kalm  iul7i9. 


* 


LAKE  ClIAMPLAtN. 


57 


ants  should  be  entitled  to  so  much  of  the  concessions  as 
should  be  proportionate  to  the  improvements  made  on  them, 
at  the  rate  of  fifty  acres  for  every  three  acres  improved, 
provided  tliey  took  out  new  grants  for  the  same  under  the 
seal  of  the  province  of  New  York,  subject  to  the  usual 
quit-rents.  No  new  grant  to  one  person  was  to  exceed  twenty 
thou,«and  acres,  nor  did  this  privilege  extend  to  the  grants  of 
La  Gaucheticre  and  others,  annulled  by  the  ordinance  of  the 
10th  of  May,  1741. 

The  claimants  refused  the  smaller  grants  from  the  pro- 
vince of  New  York,  and  declined  to  pay  the  required  quit-rents. 
They  fell  back  upon  the  original  title  of  the  French  king, 
who,  they  contended,  first  discovered  the  country,  and  had 
held  undisturbed  possession  of  it  to  the  year  1758.  To  this 
the  authorities  of  New  York  replied,  that  the  country  south 
of  the  St.  Lawrence  River  belonged  originally  to  the  Five 
Niitious,  from  whom  it  passed  to  the  English  by  virtue  of  a 
treaty  made  as  early  as  IGSU;  that  the  tmaty  of  Utrecht 
recognized  the  sovereignty  of  Great  Britain  over  these  na- 
tions, and  that  the  possession  of  the  French  at  Crown  Point 
was  an  encroachment  on  British  soil,  which  could  confer  no 
title  to  the  French  king.  They  also  referred  to  an  ancient 
grant  (109G)  to  Godfrey  Dellius  of  a  large  tract  along  the 
head  of  the  lake,  extending  upwards  of  twenty  miles  to  the 
north  of  Crown  Point,  as  proof  that  the  English  had  claimed 
the  lake  to  be  within  their  jurisdiction.  But  the  strongest 
position  taken  against  these  claims,  and  which,  considering 
the  weakness  of  the  French  title,  induced  the  British  gov- 
ernment to  disaffirm  them,  was  the  fact  that  a  large  portion 
of  the  lands  covered  by  the  French  grants  was  then  held  by 
old  officers  and  soldiers  of  the  provincial  army,  under  patents 
issued  under  the  seal  of  the  province  of  New  York.* 


iPor  intcroting  documents  relating  to  the  French  Grants  on 
Lake  Cbamplain  see  Documentary  Uistory  of  New  York,  vol.  I. 


\^    ' 


«] 


<    i 


58 


LAKE  CnAMPLAIN. 


New  York  was  the  central  point  of  English  influence  in 
America.  It  held  the  keys  of  Canada  and  of  the  great 
western  lakes.  Within  its  limits  burned  the  council  fire 
of  the  Six  Nations,  1  the  most  powerful  confederacy  ever 
formed  among  the  Indians,  whose  sway  extended  west  to 
the  Missi.ssippi,  and  beyond  the  Ohio  on  the  south.  IJut 
though  strong  in  position,  New  York  was  weak  in  power. 
Its  history,  from  the  deith  of  Governor  ^lontgoraery  in 
1731,  to  the  close  of  Mr.  Clinton's  administration  in  1753, 
is  one  of  almost  continued  distrust  and  contention  between 
the  executive  and  the  assembly.  In  this  war  of  party  the 
public  business  of  the  province  was  neglected  and  the  secu- 
rity of  the  inhabitants  disregarded.  Occasionally,  however, 
the  government  would  awake  from  its  lethargy,  and  for  a 
moment  return  to  the  performance  of  its  legitimate  duties. 
During  one  of  these  periods  of  quiet,  a  plan  was  projected 
for  the  settlement  of  the  wilderness  between  Lake  Cham- 
plain  and  the  Hudson  River,  to  serve  as  a  check  upon  the 
French  positions  on  Lake  Champlain.  The  governor  issued 
a  proclamation  describing  in  glowing  language  the  beauty 
and  fertility  of  the  country,  and  offering  the  most  liberal 
terms  to  those  who  might  settle  there. 

Seduced  by  this  proclamation,  Captain  Laughlin  Campbell 
came  from  Scotland  in  1737  to  examine  the  land,  and  was 
so  well  satisfied  with  its  appearance  that  he  returned  to  Isla, 
sold  his  estate  and  brought  over,  nt  his  own  expense,  eighty- 
three  protestant  families,  comprising  four  hundred  and 
twenty-three  adults.    The  governor  of  New  York  had  pro- 


1  The  Tuscaroras  joined  the  Confederacy  in  1712.  It  is  of  them 
that  the  fable  was  narrated  that  Chapelain,  in  IGIO,  saved  himself 
from  their  hands,  when  they  were  about  to  scalp  him,  by  speaking 
in  his  Gaelic  mother  tongue.  Physiognomists  pretend  to  have  dis- 
covered in  the  countenances  of  the  Tuscaroras  evidence  of  a  mixed 
race  between  the  ancient  Welsh  and  the  American  aboriginal  tribes. 


LAKE  CHAMPLALV.  ((Q 

raised  Campbell  a  grant  of  30,000  acres,  free  of  all  charge 
except  those  of  survry  and  the  usual  quit-rents.  IJut  on 
his  arrival,  the  mercenary  officers  of  government  rcfu.sod  to 
fulfill  this  engagement,  unless  they  were  allowed  a  share  in 
the  grant.  A  dispute  arising  between  Campbell  and 
the  government  on  this  account,  in  which  the  assembly 
joined  with  the  emigr.ants,  the  negotiations  were  broken  off. 
The  emigrants  were  saved  from  starvation  by  enlisting  in  an 
expedition  to  Carthagcua,  while  Campbell,  broken  down  in 
spirits  and  fortune,  sought  a  home  elsewhere. 

The  colonists  soon  had  reason  to  regret  the  folly  of 
the  government  in  not  securing,  at  this  time,  the  settlement 
of  their  northern  frontier.  The  protestant  Highlanders, 
brought  over  by  Campbell,  were  a  race  of  hardy  and  indus- 
trious people,  indued  by  nature  and  habit  with  great  power 
of  endurance.  They  would  have  formed  a  bulwark  against 
the  French,  who,  for  twenty  years  afterwards,  retained  abso- 
lute control  of  the  lake,  and  sent  out  from  their  stronghold 
at  Crown  Point,  bands  of  marauders  to  plunder  and  devastate 
the  frontier  settlements. 


Ml 


(;iIAl'TEll  IV. 


sir  William  Johnson'B  Expedition  npiinct  Crown  Point— Bntflo  of  Ijiko 
(Jeor^'c— Tlu!  French  fortify  Tk'on(li'rojL;ii— Monlciilni  iiltuckn  thu  EnjjUeli  ut 
Luk(!  Ooorj,'!)— MuHHiicrdut  Fort  Willliini  Ili'ury— Uefciit  of  Abi'rcromblu  ut 
'ricondurojjrt— Enf,'llsli  Scouting  Piirtlcrt— I'lilmau  in  Troublo. 

Ill  the  month  of  April,  1755,  the  governors  of  the  several 
English  colonies  met  in  coufercuce  ut  Alexandria,  in  Vir- 
ginia, and  dotermined  on  a  plan  of  military  operations,  by 
which  to  repel  the  encroachments  of  the  French  upon  the 
northern  frontier.  The  campaign  contemplated  three  sepa- 
rate expeditions ;  one  under  Sir  William  Johnson  against 
Crown  Point,'  another  under  Governor  Shirley,  of  3[assachu- 
sctta,  against  Niagara,  while  Major  General  Braddock,  the 
commander-in-chief,  with  a  third,  was  to  move  upon  the 
French  fort  on  the  Ohio. 

The  expedition  against  Crown  Point  was  to  be  composed 
of  provincial  troops  and  Indians.  But  the  Six  Nations  did 
not  enter  into  the  scheme  with  their  usual  spirit  and  alacrity. 
They  were  dissatisfied  with  the  long-continued  inaction  of 
the  English,  which  contrasted  unfavorably  with  the  activity 
and  vigilance  of  the  French.  Nor  had  the  Indians  been 
backward  to  express  their  disapprobation.  "You  arc  desi- 
rous that  we  should  open  our  minds  and  our  hearts  to  you," 
said  the  celebrated  Mohawk  sachem,  Ilendrik,  at  one  of 
their  councils,  "  look  at  the  French  :   they  are  men,  they 


>  Sir  William  Johnson's  commission  bears  date  the  16th  of  April, 
1755,  and  recites  that  the  troops  arc  placed  under  his  command 
"to  be  employed  in  an  attempt  to  erect  a  strong  fortress  upon  an 
eminence  near  the  French  fort  at  Crown  Point,  and  for  removing 
the  encroachments  of  the  French  on  his  majesty's  land  there." 


LAKE  VUAilPLAiy. 


01 


arc  fortifying  everywhere  ;  but,  wo  arc  ashaiucJ  to  say  it, 
you  arc  like  women,  bare  and  open,  without  fortiticatiouH."' 

This  difl'erence  in  the  condition  of  the  two  countries  was 
the  natural  result  of  the  peculiar  character  and  genius  of 
their  respective  inhabitants.  The  English  colonists  were 
bold,  intelligent  and  self-dcpendrnt.  They  understood  and 
cherished  the  principles  of  oelf-governnicnt.  Jealous  of 
their  rulers,  they  Vept  a  constant  watch  upon  their  conduct, 
refused  to  vote  supplies  unless  they  knew  the  money  would 
be  appropriated  for  the  public  good,  and  opposed  the  erection 
of  forts  on  the  frontier,  least  their  guns  mi-ht  be  used  to 
overawe  the  people.  On  t' eotbor  hand,  Fi'.nco  kept  lier 
colonists  in  a  state  of  depcp.donce  upon  f lie  mother  country. 
They  were  allowed  neither  freedi'-n  of  tnought  nor  action  ; 
and  thus  had  they  become  oore  loya'  md  obedient  hn"  less 
independent  than  their  English  neighbors.'-  J  iunco  direct- 
ed forts  to  be  built  in  the  wilderness,  and  L  ).  orders  were 
obeyed.  England  also  required  forts  but,  insicad  of  bui'  Mng 
them,  the  colonists  questioned  their  ui  ccssity,  objiciiJ  to 
the  expense  and  neglected  to  pIo^ide  the  means  necessary 
for  their  erection. 

The  words  of  the  Mohawk  sachem  wore  true.  When  the 
governors  met  at  Alexandria,  England  had  no  works  of 
defence  upon  her  frontier,  while  t;'u  French  were  fortified 
at  du  Quesne,  Niagara,  Crown  Point  and  Beau-Sejour.  But 
notwithstanding  their  avowed  reluctance  to  support  their 


^Documentary  History  of  New  York,\o\.  II. 

*  "Let  us  beware  Low  .";  s>Uow  the  establishment  of  manufactures 
in  Canada,  she  would  be- <:<}  proud  and  mutinous  like  the  English. 
So  long  as  France  is  a  nursery  to  Canada,  let  not  the  Canadians 
be  allowed  to  trade,  but  kept  to  their  wandering,  laborious  life  with 
the  savages,  and  :■;  their  military  exercises.  They  will  be  less 
wealthy,  bu*.  t  K>i^  brave  and  more  faithful  to  us.  " — Montcalm  to 
M.  de  Berry er,\lbl. 


! 


MiiJhi 


62 


LAKE  CUAMPLAm. 


ancient  allies,  the  Six  Nations  at  length  renewed  their  cove- 
nant of  friendship,  and  promised  to  aid  the  colonies  in  the 
approaching  struggle. 

Considerable  land  carriage  had  to  be  encountered  in  pass- 
ing from  the  Hudson  River  to  Lake  Champlain.  The 
portage  commenced  at  the  Hudson,  near  the  present  village 
of  Fort  Edward,  from  whence  two  routes  diverged  :  one 
leading  by  the  way  of  Fort  Ann  to  the  mouth  of  Wood 
Creek,  a  distance  of  twenty-four  miles ;  the  other  passing 
by  the  way  of  Glen's  Falls  to  the  head  of  Lake  George,  a 
distance  of  fourteen  miles.  From  the  first  route  a  third 
diverged  near  Fort  Ann,  which  led  to  the  waters  of  Lake 
Champlain  at  the  head  of  South  Bay.  By  the  aid  of  boats 
on  Wood  Creek  the  portage  on  the  first  route  was  usually 
reduced  to  from  six  to  ten  miles.  This  portage  was  called 
the  Great  Carrying  Place,  and  was  selected  as  the  point  of 
rendezvous  for  General  Johnson's  army,  from  whence  it 
was  to  move  to  Lake  Champlain. 

Early  in  July  Major  General  Phinehas  Lyman  arrived  at 
the  carrying  place  with  about  six  hundred  New  England 
troops,  and  commenced  the  erection  of  a  fort,  which  was 
afterwards  called  Fort  Edward,  in  honor  of  Edward,  Duke 
of  York,  the  grandson  of  the  English  sovereign.  Johnson 
reached  the  camp  on  the  14th  day  of  August,  and  found  the 
army  increased  to  two  thousand  eight  hundred  and  fifty  men, 
tit  for  duty.  New  recruits  continued  to  arrive  so  that  the 
general  found  himself,  by  the  end  of  August,  at  the  head  of 
three  thousand  one  hundred  provincials  and  two  hundred 
and  fifty  Indians.'  By  the  3d  of  September  the  main  army 
had  reached  the  head  of  Lake  George,  while  a  great  number 
of  teamsters  were  engaged  in  dragging  six  hundred  boats  from 
the  Hudson  River  to  be  used  for  the  transportation  of  troops 
across  the  lake.     At  Lake  George  Johnson  halted  for  the 


1  Johnson  to  Lt.  Gov.  De  Lanoey. 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


boats  to  come  up,  and  to  announce  the  plan  of  his  future 
operations.  "  I  propose,"  said  he,  "  to  go  down  this  lake 
with  a  part  of  the  army,  and  take  post  at  the  end  of  it,  at  a 
pass  called  Ticondcrogue,  there  to  wait  the  coming  up  of  the 
rest  of  the  army  and  then  attack  Crown  Point."'  While  the 
English  commander  was  thus  planning  his  advance  upon 
Fort  St.  Frederic,  the  French  general  had  left  that  post  and 
was  hastening  towards  South  Bay. 

When  General  Lyman  stopped  on  the  banks  of  the  Hud- 
son to  await  the  arrival  of  the  main  army,  the  whole 
available  French  force  on  Lake  Champlain  did  not  exceed 
eight  hundred  men,  exclusive  of  Indians.  Early  in  the  sum- 
mer, however,  the  Baron  Dieskau,  a  brave  old  officer,  who 
had  distinguished  himself  under  the  celebrated  3Iarshal 
Saxe,  arrived  at  Quebec,  accompanied  by  several  veteran 
regiments  from  France.  These  troops  were  immediately 
ordered  to  Lake  Ontario,  but  Dieskau,  hearing  that  the  Eng- 
lish were  in  motion  towards  Lake  George,  changed  his  route 
and  passed  rapidly  forward  towards  CrOwn  Point,  where  he 
arrived  about  the  1st  of  August.  For  the  defense  of  this 
fortress  Dieskau  brought  with  him  seven  hundred  regulars, 
sixteen  hundred  Canadians  and  seven  hundred  savages.- 

Dieskau  left  a  strong  garrison  at  Fort  St.  Frederic, 
encamped  a  portion  of  his  army  at  Ticonderoga,  and  with  six 
hundred  savages,  as  many  Canadians  and  two  hundred  reg- 
ular troops,  ascended  the  lake  to  the  head  of  South  Bay, 
and  after  four  days  march,  arrived  within  four  miles  of  Fort 
Edward,  on  the  Lake  George  road.  The  Indians  now  refused 
to  proceed  further  in  the  direction  of  the  fort,  but  were 
willing  to  go  against  the  open  camp  of  the  English  at  Lake 
George.  TLe  head  of  the  column  was  therefore  turned 
towards  the  lake. 


l\ 


,«4 


•  Jolinson  to  the  Board  of  Trade. 

•■'  Bancroft's  History  of  the  United  States,  vol.  IV. 


64 


LAKE  CUAMPLAIN. 


As  soon  as  the  English  commander  learned  that  the  French 
had  left  South  Bay,  he  determined  with  the  advice  of  a 
council  of  war,  to  send  a  strong  party  to  reinforce  Fort 
Edward,  then  guarded  by  two  hundred  and  fifty  New 
Hampshire  troops  and  five  companies  of  the  New  York  reg- 
iment.' This  reinforcement  consisted  of  one  thousand 
provincial  troops,  under  command  of  Colonel  Ephraim  Wil- 
liams of  Massachusetts,-'  and  two  hundred  Indian  warriors  led 
by  Hendrik,  the  Mohawk  sachem.  They  started  from  the 
camp  about  nine  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  8th  of 
September  expecting  to  find  the  French  at  or  near  Fort 
Edward.  When  Dieskau  learned  from  his  scouts,  the 
approach  of  Williams's  party,  he  extended  his  lino  on  both 
sides  of  the  road  in  the  form  of  a  half  moon,  and  in  this 
order  continued  slowly  and  cautiously  to  advance.  Colonel 
Williams,  in  the  mean  time,  pushed  forward  with  rash 
confidence,  and  had  proceeded  about  four  miles  from  the  lake, 
when  he  suddenly  found  himself  in  the  very  centre  of  the 
half  circle.  At  that  moment  the  French  opened  a  fire  of 
musketry  in  front  and  on  both  flanks.  Thus  attacked  on  all 
sides  by  an  unseen  enemy  the  provincials  offered  but  a  slight 
resistance.  For  a  short  time  the  slaughter  of  the  English 
was  dreadful.  Williams  fell  dead  at  tho  head  of  his  regiment, 
and  the  brave  and  faithful  Hendrik  was  mortally  wounded  ; 
but  the  troops  were  withdrawn  with  great  skill  and  coolness 
by  Lieut.  Colonel  Whitney,  who  succeeded  to  tho  command 
on  the  death  of  Williams. 


1  Johnson  to  the  Governors  of  the  several  Colonics, 

'  Before  joining  Johnson,  Coloacl  Williauia  made  a  will  by  which 
he  bequeathed  his  property  to  the  town  of  Willianistown,  Masaa- 
chusL'lts,  on  condition  that  the  money  should  be  used  for  the 
establishment  mid  maintenance  of  a  free  school.  This  sciiool  was 
incorporated  us  a  college  in  1773,  by  the  name  of  Williams  Col- 
lege. 


LAKE  CnAMPLAIN. 


65 


Johnson  lay  at  Lake  George  without  intrenchment  or  de- 
fense of  any  kind.  Aroused  by  the  noise  of  the  firinpj,  ho 
sent  Lieutenant  Colonel  Cole  with  a  reinforcement  of  two 
hundred  men  to  the  aid  of  Williams,  and  hastened  to  form 
a  sort  of  breastwork  with  fallen  trees,  drawing  up  a  few 
pieces  of  cannon  which  had  been  left  five  hundred  yards 
distant  from  the  front. i  At  ten  o'clock  the  defeated  troops 
began  to  arrive  at  the  camp  in  large  bodies,  and  at  half- past 
eleven  the  French  appeared  in  sight,  marching  in  regular 
order  against  the  centre  of  the  breastwork. 

It  had  been  Dieskau's  purpose  to  rush  forward  and  to 
enter  the  camp  Avith  the  fugitives,  but  the  Iroquois  (Caugh- 
nawagas)  took  possession  of  a  rising  ground  and  stood  inac- 
tive. At  this  the  Abenakis  halted  also,  and  the  Canadians 
became  intimidated.-  A  few  shots  from  the  artillery  drove 
them  all  to  the  shelter  of  the  neighboring  swamps,  and  left 
the  French  commander  and  his  handful  of  veteran  troops 
unsupported.  As  the  regulars  advanced  against  the  centre 
they  suddenly  halted  for  several  minutes  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  yards  from  the  breastwork,  and  then  again  advanced, 
firing  by  platoons.''  Finding  it  impossible  to  break  the 
centre,  Dieskau  moved  to  the  right  and  attacked  Williams's 
Ituggles's  and  Titcomb's  regiments,  where  a  warm  fire  was 
kept  up  for  nearly  an  hour. 


^Review  of  Militart/  Ojieralionn  in  Xorlh  America. 

"Bancroft's  History  of  the  United  Staten,  vol.  IV.  Baron  Dieskau 
had  no  confidence  in  tlie  Iroijuois.  After  his  defeat  he  writes  M. 
de  Vaudreuil:  "I  prophesied  to  you,  sir,  that  tlie  Iroquois  would 
play  sonic  scurvy  trick.  It  is  unfortunate  for  nic  that  I  am  such 
a  good  propliet." — I'aris  Doc. 

8"  This  halt,"  says  the  author  of  A  Review  of  Military  Operntions 
in  North  America  from  17r>8  to  17ij(],  "  was  the  Baron's  chief  error, 
for  amidst  the  consternation  of  the  camp,  had  he  followed  up  the 
retreating  dctaciinient,  he  had  easily  forced  the  lines  and  gained  a 
complete  victory." 

9 


LAKE  CnAMPLAIN. 


About  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the  English  suddenly 
leaped  over  the  slight  breastwork  and  charged  upon  the 
assailants,  who  precipitately  retreated,  leaving  almost  all 
the  regular  troops  dead  on  the  field.  The  Canadians  and 
Indians  retired,  in  small  parties,  to  the  scene  of  Williams's 
defeat  in  the  morning,  where  they  were  surprised  and  defeat- 
ed by  a  party  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  New  Hampshire 
and  ninety  New  York  troops,  who,  under  command  of  Cap- 
tain Mc  Ginnes,  had  been  sent  from  Fort  Edward  to  reinforce 
the  army  at  Lake  George.  The  loss  of  the  English  this  day 
was  about  two  hundred  and  sixteen  killed  and  ninety-six 
wounded  ;  of  the  French  the  loss  was  much  greater,  i  Dies- 
kau  was  found,  after  the  retreat,  leaning  against  the  stump 
of  a  tree,  thrice  wounded  and  helpless.  Early  in  the  action 
General  Johnson  received  a  painful  wound  in  the  thigh  and 
retire'^  ^o  his  tent;  the  command  then  devolved  on  General 
Lyman,  who  actually  fought  the  battle  and  was  entitled  to 
all  the  glory  of  the  day.  Yet  Johnson,  by  this  victory, 
became  a  baronet,  and  received  a  gratuity  of  five  thousand 
pounds;  while  Lyman  is  not  mentioned  in  the  official 
bulletin. 

A  rapid  movement  upon  Crown  Point  would  have  forced 
the  French  to  evacuate  that  post,  but  Johnson  did  not 
profit  by  his  success.  Instead  of  following  up  his  victory 
by  a  quick  and  well  directed  blow,  he  wasted  the  rest  of  the 
season  in  building  Fort  William  Henry,  a  useless  pile  of 
wooden  barracks,  surrounded  by  an  embankment  and  ditch, 
which  stood  on  an  elevated  spot  about  three  hundred  yards 
from  the  temporary  breastwork  attJickeJ  by  Dieskau. 

While  the  army  remained  at  the  head  of  Jjake  George,  in 
timid  inaction.  Captain  llobert  Rogers  and  Captain  Israel 


'  Johnson  in  his  official  report  of  this  battle  estimates  the  loss  of 
the  French  at  from  five  to  six  hundred.  Warburton  states  it  as 
a  "  little  short  of  eight  hundred." 


LAKE  CnA.VrLAIX. 


67 


Putnam,  two  daring  and  active  officers  belonging  to  the  New 
England  troops,  made  repeated  demonstrations  against  the 
French,  cut  off  many  of  their  working  parties  and  obtained 
correct  information  of  all  their  proceedings.  Upon  one  of 
these  occasions  llogers  and  his  men  spent  the  night  in  the 
trench  under  Fort  St.  Frederic,  and  at  another  time,  sur- 
prised a  Frenchman  within  gun-shot  of  its  walls.' 

The  season  of  175G  passed  without  any  military  move- 
ment of  importance  being  made  by  either  party,  in  the 
vicinity  of  Lake  Champlain.  The  English  completed  the 
defenses  of  Fort  William  Henry,  and  at  one  time  contem- 
plated building  a  fort  at  the  head  of  South  Bay ;  but  this 
last  work  was  at  first  delayed  and  ultimately  abandoned. 
On  the  other  hand  the  French  were  busily  engaged  in 
fortifying  the  peninsula  of  Ticonderoga.  After  the  defeat 
of  Dieskau  the  remnant  of  his  army  sought  shelter  there, 
where  they  established  a  camp  and  commenced  building  a 
fort,  afterwards  called  Fort  Carillon.  During  the  season  of 
1756  upwards  of  two  thousand  French  were  constantly  en- 
gaged upon  the  work.  The  lake  now  presented  a  most 
lively  appearance.  Canoes,  bateaux  and  schooners  were 
constantly  passing  and  repassing  between  Canada,  Crown 
Point  and  Ticonderoga,  transporting  troops  from  point  to 
point,  or  loaded  with  .supplies  and  ammunition. 

Small  scouting  parties  would  occasionally  leave  Fort 
William  Henry  and  ponetrato  as  fur  as  the  French  works,  to 
gather  informal  ion  and  boat  up  the  outposts  of  the  enemy. 


^Journal  of  the  JVeiv  Hampshire  Scout.  Ilodgers  was  born  ia 
Dumbarton,  New  Ilauipshirc.  He  was  appointed  to  the  command 
of  a  company  of  rangers  in  1755,  and  served  until  the  conquest  of 
Canada  in  1700.  He  .tfterwavds  served  in  tlie  Cherokee  war,  and 
took  up  arms  for  the  king  at  the  time  of  the  revolution.  In  1777 
he  went  to  England,  where  he  died.  His  name  is  now  generally 
spoiled  Roijcris. 


,^--^ 


68 


LAKE  CUAMPLAIN. 


]v 


On  one  occasion  Capt.  Robert  Rogers  was  sent  on  a  scout 
•with  a  party  of  fifty  men  and  five  whale-boats.  Rogers 
drew  his  boats  over  the  mountain  into  Lake  Champlain,  and 
passing  Ticonderoga  in  the  night,  on  the  morning  of  the  7tli 
of  July  secreted  his  party  on  the  east  side  of  the  lake,  about 
twenty-five  miles  north  of  Crown  Point.  While  lying  here, 
Rogers  counted  thirty  boats  passing  towards  Canada,  and 
about  three  o'clock  in  the  morning,  discovered  a  schooner  of 
thirty-five  or  forty  tons  at  anchor  a  short  distance  below. 
As  he  was  preparing  to  attack  this  vessel,  two  lighters  with 
twelve  men  on  board  approaclied  the  shore,  into  which  his 
party  fired,  killing  three  of  the  Frenchmen  and  wounding  two 
others.  The  lighters  were  taken  and  found  loaded  with 
wheat,  flour,  rice,  brandy  and  wine.  Destroying  all  but  the 
two  last,  Rogers  hastened  back,  his  men  rowing  none  the 
less  stoutly  when  the  prisoners  informed  them  that  a  party 
of  five  hundred  men  were  only  two  leagues  below,  on  their 
way  to  Crown  Point. i 

The  campaign  of  1757  opened  early  and  briskly  on  the 
northern  frontier.  While  the  strong  ice  yet  covered  the  surface 
of  the  lake  and  the  snow  lay  in  heavy  drifts  along  its  shores, 
eleven  hundred  French  and  four  hundred  Canada  Indians, 
under  Vaudreuil  and  the  Chevalier  Longueuil,  marched  from 
Ticonderoga  to  surprise  the  garrison  of  Fort  William  Henry. 
During  the  night  of  the  IGth  of  March  the  party  lay  upon 
the  snow  behind  Long  Point,  and  early  the  next  morning, 
appeared  suddenly  before  the  fort,  expecting  to  carry  it  by 
surprise ;  but  Stark  —  the  same  who,  twenty  years  later,  was 
ready  to  make  his  Molly  a  widow  for  the  cause  of  liberty-  — 


•Bogers's  Journal,  Documentary  Uistory  of  N.  Y.  IV,  28G. 

'John  Stark  was  born  in  Londonderry,  New  Hampshire,  on  the 
17th  of  August,  1728.  Ho  was  appointed  captain  of  a  company 
of  rangers  in  1755,  and  wus  with  Lord  Howe  when  he  was  killed 
near  Ticonderoga,  in  July,  1758.    At  the  close  of  the  French  war, 


LAKE  CIIAMPLAiy. 


69 


was  there  with  his  rangers,  and  the  assailants  were  forced 
back ;  not  however  until  they  had  burned  hi^vond  sloops,  a 
large  number  of  bateaux  and  some  store  hous.s  which  stood 
beyond  reach  of  the  guns  of  the  fort. 

Soon  after  the  return  of  the  French,  Colonel  Parker  was 
sent  from  Fort  William  Henry  with  a  command  of  four 
hundred  men,  to  attempt  the  works  at  Ticonderoga.  The 
detachment  crossed  the  lake  in  whale-boats  and  bateaux,  but 
before  reaching  Ticonderoga,  were  decoyed  in  an  ambuscade, 
and  the  whole  party,  with  the  exception  of  two  officers  and 
seventy  men,  either  killed  or  taken  prisoners. 

The  French  still  urged  forward  the  defenses  of  Fort  Caril- 
lon. Montcalm,  brave,  sagacious  and  active,  was  at  Montreal 
preparing  to  carry  out  his  favorite  project  of  reducing  Fort 
William  Henry.  Everything  favored  the  enterprise.  The 
Indians,  including  many  stern  warriors  of  the  Six  Nations, 
gathered  around  the  little  fort  of  St.  Johns  on  the  Richelieu, 
and  there  danced  their  war  dances  beneath  the  white  banner 
of  France.  Six  days  afterwards  they  landed  from  two  hun- 
dred canoes,  upon  the  rock-bound  shores  of  'Ticonderoga, 
where  they  were  met  by  Marin,  returning  from  a  foray  near 
Fort  Edward,  his  canoes  decorated  with  the  bleeding  scalps 
of  forty-two  Englishmen.  Six  thousand  French  and  Cana- 
dians, and  seventeen  hundred  Indians  were  now  collected  at 


he  retired  with  the  reputation  of  a  brave  and  vigilant  oflRcer.  Im- 
mediately after  the  battle  of  Lexington  Stark  repaired  to  Cambridge 
where  he  received  a  coloiiers  commission.  Feeling  aggrieved  by 
the  promotion  of  several  junior  officers,  he  resigned  in  1777,  but 
soon  afterwards  returned  to  the  field  in  command  of  a  body  of  New 
England  militia,  which  had  been  raised  to  oppose  the  advance  of 
Burgoyne.  lie  commanded  the  American  force  at  the  battle  of 
Bennington.  It  was  immediately  before  that  engagement  that  ho 
made  the  well-known  speech  to  his  men,  "  Boys,  those  are  your 
enemies,  the  redcoats  and  tories.  We  must  conquer  them,  or  to 
night  Molly  Stark  will  be  a  widow." 


1<  ■ 


\  *1 


n 


LAKE  CIIAMPLAIN. 


Ticondcroga,  armed  to  the  teeth,  and  anxious  to  bo  led 
against  the  enemy.  Montcalm  needed  no  persuasion.  On 
the  last  day  of  July  31.  de  Levy  was  sent  forward  by  land, 
under  the  guidance  of  the  Indians,  with  two  thousand  five 
hundred  men,  and  Montcalm  followed  the  next  day,  with 
the  main  body  of  the  army,  in  two  hundred  and  fifty  boats. 

Gen.  Webb,  a  man  of  weak,  irresolute  and  timid  charac- 
ter, was  in  command  of  the  provincial  troops,  and  had  five 
thousand  men  with  him  at  Fort  Edward,  while  a  body  of 
one  thousand  garrisoned  Fort  William  Henry.  It  so 
happened  that  Webb  started  for  Lake  George,  with  an  escort 
of  two  hundred  men,  under  command  of  Major  Putnam,  at 
the  very  time  Montcalm  was  embarking  his  army  at  the 
lower  end  of  the  lake.  On  his  arrival  at  the  fort,  Putnam 
was  sent  to  reconnoitre  as  far  as  Ticondcroga,  and  had  pro- 
ceeded part  of  the  way,  when  he  discovered  the  boata  of 
the  French  moving  slowly  up  the  lake.  Returning  to  the 
fort,  Putnam  informed  Webb  of  the  approach  and  strength 
of  the  enemy",  and  urged  that  the  whole  army  should  be 
brought  forward  immediately  to  repel  their  attack ;  but 
to  this  Webb  would  not  consent.  Enjoining  secresy  upon 
Putnam  he  returned,  with  dastard  haste,  to  Fort  Edward, 
from  whence  he  sent  Colonel  Monro,  with  one  thousand  men, 
to  reinforce  and  take  command  of  the  garrison  at  the  lake. 

Montcalm  landed  about  the  time  of  Colonel  Monro's 
arrival,  and  immediately  laid  siege  to  the  fort,  at  the  same 
time  sending  proposals  for  its  surrender.  "  I  will  defend  my 
trust  to  the  last,"  was  the  spirited  reply  of  the  brave  Monro. 
The  siege  lasted  six  days,  in  the  course  of  which  the  French 
general  pushed  his  advances  within  musket  shot  of  the  fort, 
while  a  body  of  over  five  thousand  regulars,  Canadians  and 
Indians,  under  de  Levy  and  de  la  Come,  held  the  road  lead- 
ing to  Fort  Edward  in  rear  of  the  English  works.     Then  it 


LAKE  CIIAMPLAIN. 


n 


was  that  Monro,  finding  his  provisions  and  ammunition  nearly 
exhausted,  and  having  received  a  letter  from  his  pusillani- 
mous chief  declining  to  send  him  further  assistance,  con- 
sented to  surrender.  By  the  terms  of  capitulation  the 
English  were  to  march  out  with  their  arms  and  baggage,  and 
were  to  be  escorted  by  a  detachment  of  French  troops  as 
far  as  Fort  Edward ;  the  sick  and  wounded  reunining  under 
Montcalm's  protection  until  their  recovery,  when  they  were 
to  be  allowed  to  return  to  their  homes. 

At  the  time  of  the  capitulation  four  hundred  and  fifty- 
nine  English  occupied  the  fort,  while  seventeen  hundred  and 
fifty  were  posted  in  a  fortified  camp  standing  on  an  emi- 
nence to  the  cast,  now  marked  by  the  ruins  of  Fort  George. 
The  troops  marched  out  of  the  works  on  the  morning  of  tho 
10th  of  August,  and  had  scarcely  passed  the  gates,  when 
they  were  attacked  by  a  large  party  of  Indians  attached  to 
the  French  army.  The  savages  rut^hed  on  with  the  fury 
of  demons.  Men,  women  and  children  were  murdered  in 
cold  blood,  and  in  the  most  barbarous  manner. '  The  massacre 
continued  until  the  English  had  proceeded  half  way  to  Fort 
Edward,  when  the  scattered  and  terrified  troops  were  met 
by  an  escort  of  five  hundred  men  sent  out  for  their  protec- 
tion.    The  French  officers  endeavored  in  vain  to  arrest  tho 


1  Alajor  Putnnm,  who  had  been  sent  forward  to  watch  the  move- 
ments of  Montcalm,  thus  describes  the  awful  scene  which  he  behold 
after  the  departure  of  the  French  from  Fort  William  Henry.  "  Tho 
fires  were  still  burning,  the  smoke  and  stench  oflfenslvc  and  suOFo- 
cating.  Innumerable  fragments,  human  skulls  and  bones,  and 
carcasses  half  consumed,  were  still  frying  and  broiling  in  the  decay- 
ing fires.  Dead  bodies,  mangled  with  scalping  knives  and  toma- 
hawks in  all  the  wantonness  of  Indian  fierceness  and  barbarity, 
were  every  where  to  be  seen.  More  than  one  hundred  women, 
butchered  and  shockingly  mangled,  lay  upon  the  ground,  still 
weltering  in  their  gore." 


ifti-jj.jii.j;jg 


72 


LAKE  CIIAifPLALY. 


I   ^ 


terrible  onslaught.  "  Kill  lue,"  cried  Montcalm,  baring  his 
breast,  "  but  spare  the  English  who  are  under  my  protection." 
The  appeal  was  in  vain.  The  vindictive  savages  had  tasted 
blood,  and  neither  prayers,  nor  menaces,  nor  promises  availed 
while  a  victim  was  to  be  found.' 

Immediately  after  the  victory  the  fort  was  leveled  to  the 
ground ;  the  cannon  and  stores  were  removed  to  Ticon- 
(loroga,  and  the  boats  and  vessels  taken  to  the  lower  end  of 
the  lake.  Thus  closed  the  military  operations  of  the  year. 
The  French  returned  to  resume  their  labor  upon  the  walls 
of  Carillon,  Webb  shrank  back  to  Albany,  and  the  timid 
deer  again  drauk,  undisturbed,  of  the  cool  waters  of  the 
silver  Horicon. 

The  IJritish  government  decided  to  press  the  campaign 
of  the  succeeding  year  (1758)  with  extraordinary  vigor. 
Tw  Ive  thousand  troops  were  to  attempt  the  reduction  of 
Louisburg  on  the  Island  of  Cape  Breton ;  sixteen  thousand 
were  to  march  against  Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point;  and 
eight  thousand  were  to  attack  Fort  du  Quesno.  The  com- 
mand of  the  troops  destined  for  Lake  Champlain  was 
entrusted  to  Major  General  Abercrombie,  who  had  succeeded 
the  imbecile  Loudon  to  the  chief  command  in  America. 

On  the  tirst  of  July,  six  thousand  three  hundred  and 
sixty-seven  regulars  and  nine  thousand  and  twenty-four 
provincials  \v<  ro  collected  around  the  decaying  ruins  of  Fort 
William  Henry.  Four  days  later  the  whole  armament  struck 
their  tents,  and  in  nine  hundred  bateaux  and  one  hundred 
and  thirty-five  whale-boats  embarked  on  the  waters  of  Lake 
(jloorge;  a  large  number  of  rafts,  armed  with  artillery  and 
loaded  with  provisions,  accompanied  the  expedition.  That 
night  the  proud  host  rested  for  five  hours  on  Sabbath  Day 
Point,  and  early  on  the  morning  of  the  6th,  reached  the 
landing  at  the  lower  end  of  the  lake. 


1  Bancroft's  Histonj  of  United  States,  vol.  IV ;  Conquest  of  Canada, 
vol.  II ;   Williams's  Iliat.  Vermont,  vol.  II. 


A  PLAN  OP  FOUT  WILLIAM  nENRY,  1757, 

And  tho  English  camp  aud  rotrciichmi-nf,  with  the  Frouch  campa  and  tho 

attack  tlurc'upon. 


nA 


A.  Dock. 

B.  (iarriHon  Oardons. 
('.  Korf  William  Henry. 
I).  .Morals. 

E.  Miiiitcalm's  Ist  Battery  of  0  guns 

and  i  niortar!i. 
P.  M()nt<'alni'M  'id  Battery  of  10  guns 

and  ;i  mortar". 

0.  Montralnrx  approaches. 
H.  Two  intended  Balterie>'. 

1.  I'lace  where  Montcalm  landed  his 

nrtillery. 


K.  Montcalm's  camp,  with  tho  main 
bodv  of  the  nrmv. 

L.  M.  d<,-"LevyV  dimp:  4  0(X)^  Regu- 
lars nn'l  Canndian^'. 

M.  M.  de  la  Cornc  with  Vm  Cana- 
dians and  Indian-i. 

N.  English  encanipnient  hcfore  tho 
retrenchment  was  made. 

().  The  bridi'e  over  the  Morass. 

1'.  The  EiigliBh  retreuchment. 


10 


i 


Il 


LAKE  rilAMPL.lIX. 


75 


Fort  Carillon,  nguinst  whic-h  tlio  Enj^lish  wcro  now  lul- 
vancing,  stood  near  the  point  of  the  peninsula  fornuMl  hy 
the  junctii>.i  of  the  outlet  of  liake  Ge»»r<je  with  Lake  Chuni- 
plain.  This  peninsula  eontaius  about  five  hundred  acres, 
and  is  surrounded  on  three  sides  by  water.  One  half  of  the 
western  or  land  side  was  then  covered  by  a  swamp.  The 
fort  was  nearly  one  hundred  feet  above  the  water,  and  stood 
on  the  south  side  of  the  peninsula  adjuinin<;  the  outlet, 
which  here  expands  into  a  bay  of  considerable  size.  On 
the  extreme  easternmost  point  of  the  peninsula,  at  a  short 
distance  from  the  main  work,  was  a  stronj;  rede  ibt  of  earth 
and  stones,  which  commanded  the  narrow  part  of  the  lake.  A 
battery  also  stood  on  the  bank  of  the  bay,  a  short  distance 
west  of  the  fort,  while  the  low  land  to  the  north  was  cov- 
ered by  two  batteries,  staiiding  behind  its  walls.  The  road 
from  Lake  George  to  Ticuudcroga  cros.sed  the  river  or  out- 
let twice,  by  bridges.  Near  the  lower  bridge,  and  leas  than 
two  miles  from  the  fort,  the  French  had  built  saw-mills, 
which  were  defended  by  a  slight  military  work.  They  had 
also  built  a  log  camp  near  the  landing  at  the  foot  of  Lako 
George. 

To  oppose  the  powerful  army  now  advancing  against 
them,  the  French  had  only  twenty-eight  hundred  regulars 
and  four  hundred  and  fifty  Canadians.  But  Montcalm  was 
not  the  man  to  despond.  The  apparent  hopelessness  of 
resistance  excited  him  to  action.  With  con.summate  judg- 
ment he  'marked  out  his  lines,  half  a  mile  west  of  the  fort, 
and  pushed  the  work  with  such  ardor  that,  in  ten  hours,  a 
wall  as  many  feet  high  had  been  thrown  up  across  the  high 
ground  which  lay  between  the  swamp  and  the  bank  of  the 
outlet.  On  the  1st  of  July,  three  regiments  under  M.  de 
Bourlemaque,  occupied  the  log  camp  at  the  foot  of  the  lake, 
while  the  battalion  of  La  Sarre  was  posted  near  the  mills. 
When  the  English  first  appeared  in  sight,  Bourlemaque  fell 


! 


1 


LAKE  CIIAMPLAIN. 


back  upon  the  mills,  leaving  Ca-jtain  de  Trepezije,  with  three 
hundred  men,  to  watch  the  approaching  culunin. 

Immediately  on  landing,  Abercrombie,  leaving  his  baggage, 
provisions  and  artillery  in  the  boats,  formed  his  men  into 
three  columns  and  advanced  towards  Ticonderoga.  The 
route  lay  through  a  thick  and  tangled  wood  which  prevent- 
ed any  regular  progress,  and  the  troops,  misled  by  the 
bewildered  guides,  were  soon  thrown  into  confusion.  While 
thus  pressing  forward  in  disorder,  the  head  of  the  advance 
column,  under  Lord  Howe,  fell  in  with  a  party  of  the  French 
troops,  who  had  lost  their  way  likewise,  and  a  warm  skir- 
mish ensued.  \t  the  iirst  fire  the  gallant  Howe  fell  and 
instantly  expired.  He  was  the  idol  of  the  army  and  had 
endeared  himself  to  the  men  by  his  aifubility  and  virtues. 
Infuriated  by  the  loss  of  their  beloved  leader,  his  men 
rushed  forward  and  swept  the  French  from  the  field.  Aber- 
crombie's  bugles  now  sounded  the  retreat,  and  the  fatigued 
soldiers  returned  to  the  landing  place,  where  they  encamped 
for  the  night. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  7th,  Lieutenant  Colonel 
liradstreet  moved  forward  with  a  strong  party  and  took 
possession  of  the  saw-mills,  while  Abercrombie  again  formed 
his  men  in  order  of  battle,  and  prepared  to  advance  against 
the  French  works.  ]?ut  the  attack  was  not  made  until  the 
morning  of  the  8th,  when  the  whole  army  was  brought  up, 
except  a  small  detachment  left  to  guard  the  boats,  and  a 
provincial  regiment  stationed  at  the  saw-mills.  Montcalm 
had  that  morning  received  a  reinforcement  of  four  hundred 
men,  under  M.  de  Levy,  which  increased  his  force  to  about 
thirty-six  hundred.  IJehind  tbo  newly  erected  lines,  which 
were  now  strengthened  by  a  wide  and  difficult  abattis,  he 
posted  the  tried  battalions  of  La  Heine,  La  Sarre,  13earn, 
Guyenne,  Berry,  Langucdoc  and  Roussillon,  and  calmly 
awaited  the  onset. 


I  I 


I 


; 


1 


t 


I  I 


1 


PLAN    OF    ATTACK   B\    (ilvN.   AllKi!(  UOMUIK,   AT  TI(  (iNDKKOHA, 

HTll  Jl'LY,  l'i.'>8. 


/tClD 


"^'^^S^'^r.o.. 


i 


LAKE  CILIMPLATX. 


79 


•• 


As  the  English  approached,  the  raiif»ers,  light  infantry, 
batoaunien,  and  Riigglo.s's,  Dotey's,  Partridge's,  Williams's 
ami  Jii.'rl(!y's  roginieiits  of  provincials,  with  a  battalion  of  the 
New  Yoric  regiment,  took  post  in  front,  out  of  cannon-shot 
of  the  French  works.  Ne.xt  camo  the  regulars  destined  for 
the  assault,  while  the  Connecticut  and  New  Jersey  troojts 
were  drawn  up  in  the  reai  At  one  o'clock  the  English 
bugles  soundol  the  attack,  'vhcn  the  regular  battalions  moved 
forward  with  quick  and  steady  stop  —  the  veteran  fifty-fifth 
leading,  closely  followed  by  the  gallant  Colonel  (srahani,  at 
the  head  of  3Iurray's  liigb landers.  As  the  columns  ap- 
proached, and  when  the  ranks  became  entangled  among  the 
logs  and  fallen  trees  which  protected  the  breastwork.  Mont- 
calm o])cncd  a  galling  fire  of  artillery  and  musketry,  which 
mowed  down  the  brave  oiHcers  and  men  by  hundreds.  Kor 
four  hours  the  Hnglish  vainly  strove  to  cut  their  way  through 
the  impenetrable  abattis,  until  Abercrouibie,  despairing  of 
BU^icess,  and  having  already  lo.st  one  thousand  nine  hundred 
and  forty-four  men  in  killed  and  wounded,  ordered  a  retreat. 
Montcalm  did  not  pursue.  Having  refresheil  his  exhau.sted 
soldiers,  he  employed  the  night  in  strengthening  his  lines  — 
a  useless  labor,  for  the  frightened  Ab«  rcrombie  did  not  stop 
untiUn  reached  the  head  of  Lake  George,  and  even  then  he 
sent  his  artillery  and  ammunition  to  Albany  for  safety.' 

(Soon  after  the  retreat  of  the  English,  Majors  I'utnam  and 
Rogers  were  sent,  with  their  rangers,  towards  the  head  of 
Lake  Champlain,  to  watch  the  movements  of  a  party  of  five 
hundred  Canadians  and  Indians,  who,  it  was  understood, 
intended  to  pass  up  the  lake  from  Ticonderoga,  under  com- 


*  Abercrombio's  dispatch —  Conquest  of  Canada.  Bancroft's 
IlUtnr;)  of  Ihi'  Unili'd  Stalfn.  Williams's  \'frmonl,  kc.  The  loss  of 
the  Knji;li.sh  on  that  day  was  as  follows:  Regulars,  404  killed,  •.1'.) 
missing,  ami  1117  wounded;  Provincials,  87  killed,  8  missing,  and 
23',l  wounded  ;  .Montcalm  reported  his  loss  at  llu  killed,  and  248 
wounded. 


i; 


I 


,  [j 


I', 


'.  ,1 


go  LAKE  CIIAMPLAIN. 

mand  of  the  famous  3Iarin.  Iloji^ers,  with  tho  main  body 
took  a  position  near  Wood  Creek,  ubout  twelve  miles  from 
its  mouth,  while  Putnam,  with  thirty-five  men,  took  post  on 
the  bold,  rocky  shore  of  the  lake  about  half  a  mile  north  of 
the  creek.  Near  tho  edge  of  these  rocks  he  construcced  a 
wall  of  stones  and  placed  youni;  trees  before  it  in  such  a 
manner  as  completely  to  hide  the  defense  from  the  water 
below.  Learning,  four  days  afterwards,  that  the  enemy 
were  approaching,  undercover  of  tho  night,  Putnam  called 
in  his  sentinels  and  stationed  his  men  where  their  iire  would 
prove  most  efl'ective ;  commanding  them  to  remain  perfectly 
quiet  until  they  received  his  orders.  The  canoes  advanced 
in  solemn  silence,  and  had  passed  the  wall  of  stone,  when 
they  became  alarmed  by  a  slight  noise,  caused  by  one  of 
I'utnam's  men  carelessly  striki..g  liis  gun  against  a  stone. 
Crowding  together  beneath  the  rocks,  a  brief  consultation 
was  held  by  the  i»arty,  when  the  canoes  were  turned  back 
towards  Ticondemga.  As  they  turned,  Putnam  gave  tho 
order  to  fire.  This  lire  was  returned  from  tho  lake,  and 
for  a  sh((rt  time  the  contest  was  warmly  kept  up  on  both 
sides.  Great  was  the  carnage  among  the  canoes,  which  lay 
exposed  upon  the  smooth  surface  of  the  water.  Marin  at 
length  withdrew  and  landed  his  men  a  short  distance  below, 
intending  to  surround  the  rangers  ;  but  Putnam  was  upon 
thv  -lert  and  immediately  withdrew  towards  l-'ort  J-'dward. 
While  retreating  through  the  thick  forest  an  unexpected 
enemy  fircii  upon  the  party,  and  »vounded  one  man.  J'utnam 
instantly  ordeiod  his  men  tu  charge,  when  his  voice  Was 
recognized  by  the  leader  of  the  other  party,  who  cried  out, 
"  Hold,  we  are  friends."  "  Friends  or  foes,"  answered  Put- 
nam, "  you  deserve  to  perish  for  doing  so  little  execution 
vith  so  fair  a  shot."  The  party  proved  to  be  a  detachment 
Bent  out  to  cover  his  retreat. 

A  few  days  after,vards,  Putnam  was  taken    prisoner  by 


f 


LAKE  CIIAMPLAiy.  gj[ 

Bonio  of  the  Iiulians  attaehcil  to  Marin's  coinniand.  Tho 
liiiliaiis  bound  Putnam'  to  a  tree.  A  younj^  Hava;:e  then 
amused  himsolt'  )iy  socinj^  how  near  lie  couKl  throw  a 
tomahawk  to  his  jirisunor's  head  witiiout  tnuchinjj;  it  —  tho 
weapon  struck  into  tho  tree  a  number  ol'  times,  at  a  hair'a 
breadtli  (Vom  the  mark.  When  the  Indian  liad  finished 
this  novel,  but,  to  one  of  the  j)arties,  not  very  ai;reeahlo 
sport,  a  Canadian  came  up,  snappeil  his  fiisoe  at  Putnam's 
breast,  then  violently  and  repeatedly  pushed  the  nui/zlo 
atrainst  his  ribs,  and  finally  gave  hiia  a  severe  blow  on  the 
iaw  with  the  butt  end  oi  the  yun.  Putnam  was  then 
stripped  of  his  clothes  and  taken  to  the  place  selected  for 
their  ni;^ht  encampment,  whore  the  Indians  determined  to 
roast  liim  alive.  Por  this  ])uiposc  they  Itound  him  to  a  tree, 
I)iled  dried  bushes  in  a  circle  around  him,  and  then  .set  firo 
to  the  jtilc.  At  the  moment  when  Putnam  bciran  to  feel  tho 
scorching  lieat,  and  liad  resigned  himself  to  the  keen  agonies 
of  certain  death.  Marin  rushed  through  the  crowd.  openiHl  a 
way  by  scattering  the  burning  brands,  and  unbound  the 
victim. - 


'Israel  I'utnnm  wns  born  at  Salcia,  Massaclmsctt.s,  January  7lb, 
1718.  He  was  ilistiiip;iiislicil  fur  liis  linivcry,  ontorprise  and  per- 
BCveraiT'c,  ami  for  the  most  iiinli'viuiing  jji-iiiciplt-H  of  Imnor, 
hmiiaiiiiy  and  benevolence.  He  tirst  joined  tlio  provincial  army 
in  IToo,  as  capliiiii  ol'a  company  of  rangers,  and  was  rewarded  for 
his  services  in  ilie  caiiipiiigii  of  IT'iD  by  iiroiiiolioii  to  tJie  rank  of 
major.  In  IT'lO  jjc  was  a  lieutenant  colonel,  and  served  under 
Amherst  in  the  coiKiuest  of  Canada.  It  was  said  of  him  that  "/(« 
dared  to  /fiid  icliirf  dii;/  diind  lo  follow."  At  tho  commencement  of 
the  revolutionary  w.ir,  Putnam  was  ajipointed  a  major  general 
in  the  .Vmerican  army,  where  he  sewed  with  ilistinciioii.  In 
December,  177'.',  he  was  jvostrated  by  a  iiaralyticatreclion.  under 
which  ho  iMiiuniislied  mull  the  I'.Mh  of  .May,  ]~'M),  when  his 
honorable  and  n«e!u!  I'fe  was  brought  to  a  final  close. 

■■'TUachcr's  Military  Journal. 
11 


%\ 


\ 


II 


I 


l;    * 


ill    ij 


82 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIX. 


This  humane  officer,  havin<»  reprimanded  tho  savages  in 
severe  terms,  took  Putnam  under  his  own  protection  ".ud 
delivered  liim  to  Montcahii,  by  whom  he  was  sent  to  Mont- 
real. Thus,  throuiih  hardships,  privations  and  blood,  were 
the  sturdy  provincials  schooled  for  the  great  and  heroic 
deeds  of  tho  American  revolution. 


y  ■  t 


CHAPTER  V. 

Gcnornl  Amherst  mdrches  against  TicondoroRa  and  Crown  Poi.it  —  Retreat  of 
tliG  French  to  Canadii  — Niiviil  Ojjeriitions  on  Lake  Ciiamplain  — Pro^'ress  of 
(lio  Settlement  of  tlie  Country  bnrdcrintc  on  Lalte  (luiniplaiii,  prior  to  the 
Ui'voliitlon  —  New  Hampshire  (irants  — Dii-pute  witli  TenantH  uf  Colonel 
Heed  —  A  new  Province  projected  by  Colonel  Skene  and  otUerii. 

Notwithstanding  the  great  importance  attached  by  the 
provincial  and  home  governments  to  the  control  of  Lake 
Champlain — the  key  of  Canada  —  three  campaigns,  under 
three  different  generals,  had  been  undcrbiken  without  any 
progress  towards  the  attainment  of  that  object.  Johnson 
was  inefficient,  Webb  pusillanimous,  and  Abercrombie  want- 
ing in  firmness  and  military  skill.  The  first  halted  his  army 
to  build  a  fort  when  he  should  have  capturcu'  uuo  ;  the  se- 
cond, with  fotir  thousand  men  under  liis  immediate  command, 
abandoned  the  brave  Monro  to  the  tomahawk  of  the  merciless 
savage;  while  Abercrombie,  by  a  false  move  and "  the  ex- 
tremcst  fright  and  consternation,"  allowed  less  than  four 
thousand  men  to  repel  the  advance  of  fifteen  thousand  troops, 
"  the  largest  and  best  apportioned  army  in  America."  Suc- 
cess however,  had  attended  the  British  arms  in  other 
quarters.  Louisburg  capitulated  to  General  Amherst  in 
July,  and  in  November  (ieneral  Forbes  was  in  possession 
of  Fort  du  Quesno. 

Pitt,  the  English  secretary  of  state,  had  long  desired  the 
conquest  of  Canada.  Fully  appreciating  the  skill,  bravery 
and  activity  of  Amherst,  he  appointed  him  to  the  cliief 
command  in  America.  Amherst  entered  upon  his  work 
with  zeal.  Wolfe  was  placed  in  command  of  one  expedition 
destined  tc  the  attack  of  Quebec  j  Prideaux  was  sent  with 


^ 


J     Ml 


1  . 


I' 


34  LAKE  CnAMPLAIN. 

another  against  Niagara,  while  the  coramandor-in-chicf  led  a 
third  in  person,  against  the  French  posts  on  Lake  Champlain. 

Montcalm  was  indcfutigablo  in  his  preparations  for  the 
approaching  struggle.  Three  armed  vessels  were  built  to 
command  the  navigation  of  Lake  Champlain,  and  the  strong 
walls  of  Carillon  again  echoed  with  the  noise  of  workmen. 
Still  the  French  general,  sorely  pressed  on  every  side, 
feared  for  the  safety  of  that  post,  lie  could  spare  but  few 
troops  for  its  defense,  and  besides  he  well  knew  that  its 
batteries  were  commanded  by  the  controlling  summit  of 
Mount  Pefiance.  "  Had  I  to  besiege  Fort  Carillon,"  said 
he  the  year  before,  while  wondering  at  the  retreat  of  Aber- 
crombic, "  I  would  ask  but  six  mortars  and  two  pieces  of 
artillery."'  Uourlcmaquc  was  sent  forward  to  protect  the 
fort  with  three  battalions  of  regulars  and  a  body  of  Cana- 
dians and  Indians,  but  he  received  instructions,  at  the  same 
time,  to  blow  up  the  works  on  the  approach  of  the  English, 
if  he  judged  it  expedient,  to  retire  to  Isle  aux  Noix  on  the 
lliehelieu,  and  there  make  a  strong  resistance. 

About  the  1st  of  July,  Amherst  reached  the  head  of  Lake 
George  with  an  army  of  six  thousand  men,  whore  he  remained 
for  a  month,  waiting  for  the  remainder  of  the  troops  to  como 
up.  On  the  21st  he  embarked  with  fifty-seven  hundred  and 
forty-three  regulars  and  five  thousand  two  hundred  and 
seventy-nine  provincials,  and  crossing  the  lake  in  four 
columns,  landed  the  nexft  day,  near  the  spot  where  Aber- 
cronibie  had  disembarked  the  year  before.  That  night  his 
army  lay  under  arms  at  the  saw-mills,  while  the  French  held 
their  old  lines  in  force.  On  the  night  of  the  23d,  de  Bour- 
lemaque  withdrew  his  men,  and  leaving  a  party  of  four  hun- 
dred in  Fort  Carillon  to  mask  his  retreat,  embarked  with 


'  Baacroft's  History  of  the  United  Slaiet. 


PLAN  OF  FOUT  CAIULLON,  1759. 


A.  Stono  Bnttery. 

1».  Tlic  F.)rt. 

('.  Karih  Hutlery. 

]>.  Whiirf. 

K.  stoiH'  linubcs  for  naval  ptores. 

F.  Ifcdoiibt. 

O.  Buttery. 


n.  Stone  honecp  for  proTitioni!, 

I.  Liine  kilii«. 

K.  Nino  uvi'Ui". 

L.  (iiinli'iir". 

jNI.  HiiitcricM  In  the  liiiet". 

N.  French  Hues. 


<  H 


LAKE  CUAilPLAIN. 


87 


the  main  body  for  Prown  I'oint.  The  English  grcnntliers 
ininiediiitL'ly  occupioil  the  deserted  intronchniciits.' 

J)uriiig  the  24th  and  the  Ufjih,  the  French  kept  up  a 
continuous  fire  upon  the  English  camp,  which  was  warmly 
returned.  In  the  meantime,  Amherst  advanced  his  ap- 
proaches within  six  hundred  yards  of  the  fort,  and  was 
preparing  to  assault  the  works,  wlien  the  French,  having 
now  held  their  opponents  at  bay  long  enough  to  secure  the 
retreat  of  M.  de  Bourleniaquc,  determined  to  blow  up  and 
abandon  them.  Several  mines  were  constructed  under  the 
walls,  and  a  fuse  connected  with  the  powder  magazine.  At 
ten  o'clock  on  the  night  of  the  2Gth,  they  sprung  the  mine 
and  hastily  ^ated  to  their  boats.'-  The  explosion  scattered 
the  flames  in  every  direction  —  bresistworks,  barracks  and 
store-houses  were  consumed,  while  the  rej)ort  of  the 
bursting  guns,  following  each  other  in  quick  succession, 
announced  to  the  retreating  French  the  progress  of  the 
work  of  destruction. 

Amherst  immediately  commenced  repairing  the  fort,  the 
stone  work  of  which  remained  mostly  uninjured.  lie  also 
Bent  forward  Major  Rogers,  with  two  hundred  rangers,  to 
examine  the  position  of  the  French  at  Crown  I'oinf,  and  to 
seize,  and  at  all  hazards  hold  some  strong  post  near  the 
fort.  But  this  haste  was  useless,  for  before  the  rangers 
could  reach  their  post,  the  French  had  destroyed  the  fort, 
burned  the  surrounding  settlements  and  retreated  to  Islo 
aux  Noix.     The  glory  of  St.  Frederic  was  gone.'' 


*  "In  the  centre  of  these  remarkable  lines  the  French  had,  in 
celebration  of  tLc  victory  of  Carillon,  erected  a  lofty  cross,  which 
Btill  remained  ;  a  deep  grave  was  sunk  before  it,  and  on  the  cross 
was  affixed  a  plate  of  brass,  with  this  inscription. 

•Pone  principes  eorum  sicut  Oreb  ct  Zebec  et  Zalmanna.'  " — 
Warburlon,  vol.  II. 

»  Conquest  of  Canada,  vol.  II. 

'Mr.  Lossing  {Field  Book  of  the  Revolution,  I,  120)  says  Amherst 


nJ 


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23  WIST  MAIN  STREIT 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14SM 

(716)  t72-4S03 


^^<^\^\ 

^V^ 
^^^ 

^ 


4^' 


gg  LAXE  CHAMPLAIN. 

On  the  4th  of  August,  Amherst  reached  Crown  Point 
with  the  main  army,  and  immediately  traced  out  the  lines 
of  a  new  fort,  about  two  hundred  yards  west  of  the  old 
French  works.  This  fort,  although  never  completed,  is  said 
to  have  cost  the  English  government  more  than  two  millions 
of  pounds  sterling.  The  ramparts  were  about  twenty-five 
feet  thick  and  nearly  the  same  in  height,  and  were  built  of 
solid  masonry.  The  curtains  varied  in  length,  from  fifty- 
two  to  one  hundred  yards,  and  the  whole  circuit,  measuring 
around  the  ramparts  and  including  the  bastions,  was  eight 
hundred  and  fifty-three  yards.  A  broad  ditch  surrounded 
the  work.  On  the  north  was  a  gate,  and  from  the  north-east 
bastion  a  covered  way  leading  to  the  water. 

While  engaged  upon  this  work,  Amherst  directed  Cap- 
tain Loring,  who  superintended  the  naval  operations  on  the 
lake,  to  build  with  the  greatest  dispatch  a  sloop  of  sixteen 
guns,  a  radeau  or  raft  eighty-four  feet  long,  capable  of  carry- 
ing six  large  cannon,  and  a  brigantine.  These  were  com- 
pleted by  the  11th  of  October,  when  the  English  commander 
embarked  his  whole  army  in  bateaux  and  started  for  Canada. 
Towards  the  evening  of  the  next  day  the  wind  commenced 
blowing  a  gale,  and  the  general  was  obliged  to  anchor  his 
bateaux  under  the  west  shore  of  the  lake.  Captain  Loring, 
however,  kept  at  sea  with  his  armed  vessels,  and  at  day-light 
in  the  morning  discovered  the  French  about  forty-five  miles 
down  the  lake.  He  immediately  gave  chase  and  drove  a 
schooner  and  three  sloops  under  shelter  of  Valcour  Island. 
Two  of  the  sloops  were  here  sunk,  while  the  other  was  run 


moved  "  cautiously  along  Lake  Champlain,  crossed  the  outlet  of 
Lake  George,  and  appeared  before  Ticonderoga  on  the  26th  of 
July."  He  also  says  that  "not  a  gun  was  fired  or  a  Sword  cross- 
ed." This  is  a  mistake.  Sixteen  soldiers  were  killed  or  wounded 
by  an  attack  of  the  French  upon  the  British  advance  guard  on  the 
23d.  Between  the  22d  and  2Gth,  eeventy-seven  of  the  British 
forces  were  killed  or  wounded. 


. 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


89 

The 


aground  by  her  crew,  who  escaped  into  the  woods.^ 
schooner  got  away  during  the  night. 

Amherst,  after  remaining  wind-bound  for  several  days, 
again  started  for  Canada ;  but  he  had  scarcely  reached  Val- 
cour  Island,  when  the  autumn  winds  threatened  to  swamp 
his  vessels.  Satisfied  that  he  could  accomplish  nothing  at 
that  late  and  inclement  season  of  the  year,  he  now  abandoned 
the  enterprise  and  returned  to  winter  quarters  at  Crown 
Point,  where  he  arrived  on  the  21st  of  October. 

While  Amherst  was  at  Crown  Point  he  opened  a  road 
from  that  place  to  Number  Four  on  the  Connecticut  Iliver, 
and  also  planned  an  expedition  against  the  St.  Francis  In- 
dians, who  lived  on  the  east  side  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  near 
Three  Rivers.  The  command  of  this  expedition  was  entrust- 
ed to  Major  Rogers  of  the  New  Hampshire  troops,  who  in 
October,  left  Crown  Point  in  bateaux  with  two  hundred 
men.  This  number  was  afterwards,  by  an  accident,  reduced 
to  one  hundred  and  forty-two,  with  whom  Rogers  proceed- 
ed to  Missisco  Bay,  where  he  concealed  his  boats  and  a 
portion  of  his  provisions,  and  started  by  land  for  the  Indian 
village.  After  reducing  the  village  to  ashes,  Rogers  and 
his  men  returned  to  Crown  Point  by  the  way  of  the  Con- 
necticut River. 

In  August,  1760,  Colonel  Haviland  left  Crown  Point  at  the 
head  of  fifteen  hundred  regular  troops,  eighteen  hundred 
provincials  and  some  Indians,  and  on  the  16th  of  that  month 
encamped  opposite  the  French  post  at  Isle  aux  Noix,  and 
on  the  24th,  opened  a  fire  of  mortars  upon  it.  Three  days 
afterwards,  M.  de  Bougainville,  the  commandant,  withdrew 
from  the  island,  leaving  a  garrison  of  only  thirty  men,  who 


>  See  Brasier'a  map  of  Lake  Champlain,  where  the  north  end  of 
Valcour  Island  is  designated  as  the  place  where  *' the  French  sunk 
their  vessels  in  1759." 

12 


i '"   n 


90 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


immediately  surrendered. i  On  the  8th  of  September,  Col- 
onel Haviland  joined  Amherst  and  Murray,  under  the  walls 
of  Montreal.  That  samo  day  the  city  was  surrendered  by 
Vaudrcuil.  By  this  act  the  French  dominion  in  Canada 
ceased,  and  by  the  treaty  of  peace  signed  in  Paris  on  the  10th 
day  of  February,  1763,  that  province  was  formally  ceded  to 
Great  Britain.  This,  says  Mr.  Smollet,''  "was  a  conquest  the 
most  important  of  any  that  ever  the  British  army  achieved, 
whether  we  consider  the  safety  of  the  British  colonies  in 
America,  now  secured  from  invasion  and  encroachment, 
the  extent  and  fertility  of  the  country  subdued,  or  the  whole 
Indian  commerce  thus  transferred  to  Great  Britain." 

When  the  French  army  retreated  to  Canada,  it  was  accom- 
panied by  the  few  inhabitants  then  residing  upon  the  borders  of 
the  lake.  There  was,  however,  at  this  time,  a  settlement  of 
French  and  Indians  at  Swanton  Falls,  in  Vermont,  several 
miles  east  of  the  lake,  containing  a  small  church,  a  saw-mill 
and  about  fifty  huts,  which  was  not  abandoned  until  the 
year  1775.'' 

In  the  course  of  the  year  1760,  the  New  England  troops 
frequently  passed  over  the  road  opened  by  Amherst  from  the 
lake  to  the  Connecticut,  and  thus  became  acquainted  with  the 
fertility  and  value  of  the  lands  in  that  section.  These  lands 
were  soon  sought  out  and  settled  upon. 

The  lands  north  of  Crown  Point,  although  equally  fertile, 
were  more  remote  and  did  not  as  early  attract  the  attention 
of  the  pioneer  or  speculator.  They  however,  came  into  no- 
tice gradually,  so  that  several  permanent  settlements  were 
made  along  the  borders  of  the  lake,  during  the  fifteen  years 
which  intervened  between  the  expulsion  of  the  French  and 
the  commencement  of  the  revolutionary  war.  . 


^Conquest  of  Canada.    Williams's  History  of  Vermont. 

^Higtory  of  England. 

3  Thompson's  Gazetteer.  , 


\ 


LAKiH  CnAJlPLAIiV. 


91 


! 


In  17GG,  Colonel  Ephraim  Doolittle,  Paul  Moore,  Mar- 
shall Newton  and  others  settled  in  the  town  of  Shore- 
ham,  and  in  the  same  year,  Donald  Mcintosh,  a  native  of 
Scotland,  moved  into  the  town  of  Vcrgennes.  A  saw-mill 
was  erected  at  the  lower  falls  of  Otter  Creek  as  early  as 
1769,  and  shortly  afterwards  a  grist-mill  was  built  at  the 
same  place. 

Some  years  before  the  commencement  of  the  revolutionary 
war,  two  Germans  by  the  name  of  Logan  and  Pottier  settled 
upon  the  points  of  land  in  the  town  of  Shelburne,  known  as 
Pottier's  Point  and  Logan's  Point.  They  were  engaged  in 
getting  out  timber  for  the  Canadian  market,  and  are  said  to 
have  been  murdered  near  the  north  end  of  the  lake,  by 
a  party  of  soldiers  sent  out  from  Montreal  to  escort  them 
home,  on  their  return  with  the  avails  of  a  raft  which 
they  had  sold.  Soon  after  their  death,  about  ten  families 
settled  in  the  town,  among  whom  were  Thomas  and  Moses 
Pierson. 

John  Strong,  Zadock  Everest  and  a  Mr.  Ward  commenced 
a  settlement  in  the  town  of  Addison,  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  lake  from  Crown  Point,  in  17G9  or  1770.  A  settlement 
was  also  commenced  in  1770,  in  the  town  of  Panton,  by  John 
Pangborn  and  Odle  Squires,  who  were  afterwards  joined 
by  Timothy  Spaulding,  Peter  Ferris  and  others.  Ferris 
resided  at  the  bay  in  which  Arnold  burned  his  vessels  during 
the  revolutionary  war. 

The  town  of  Bridport  was  first  settled  in  1768,  by  Philip 
Stone,  of  Groton,  MassachuocUs.  About  the  same  time,  two 
families  by  the  name  of  Richardson  and  Smith  moved  into 
the  township  and  commenced  a  settlement,  under  New  York 
titles,  and  were  followed  by  Towner,  Chipman  and  Plumer, 
who  held  grants  from  the  governor  of  New  Hampshire.  In 
1773,  Samuel  Smith  moved  his  family  into  the  town  and 
was  followed  during  the  following  winter  by  Mr.  Victory. 


j. 


f    ( 


92 


LAKE  CHAMPLAm. 


A  settlement  was  begun  at  the  lower  falls  on  the  Winooski 
River,  by  Ira  Allen  and  Remember  Baker,  in  1773.1 

These  settlements  were  all  on  the  eastern  border  of  the 
lake.  A  few  improvements  had  also  been  commenced  on 
the  New  York  side,  which  were  principally  confined  to  the 
grants  made  by  the  colony  of  New  York  to  the  officers  and 
soldiers  who  had  served  in  the  wars  against  the  French  and 
Indians.  The  most  important  of  these,  lying  north  of  Crown 
Point,  was  at  the  Bouquet  River,  where  William  Gilliland 
had  erected  a  saw-mill,  and  where  several  persons,  including 
Gilliland,  Watson,  Scarr,  Cross,  Blood  and  McAuley,  re- 
sided.2 

William  Hay  and  Henry  Cross  lived  on  a  tract  of  land 
granted,  in  1765,  to  Lieutenant  Friswell.  Hay's  house  stood 
near  the  shore  of  the  lake  opposite  Valcour  Island.  From 
this  house  his  family  watched  the  progress  of  the  naval  en- 
gagement between  the  American  and  British  fleet,  11th  Oct., 
1776,  and  witnessed  Arnold's  masterly  retreat  during  the 
following  night.  Before  the  revolution,  the  few  inhabitants 
residing  at  the  north  end  of  the  lake  received  their  supplies 
from  Montreal,  which  they  were  in  the  habit  of  visiting 
several  times  in  the  course  of  the  summer  months.     About 


1  For  further  information  in  relation  to  the  first  settlement  of  the 
towns  on  the  eastern  border  of  the  lake,  see  Thompson's  Gazetteer  of 
Vermont. 

*Mr.  Gilliland  took  posession  of  his  lands  on  the  Bouquet  in  the 
summer  of  17G5,  and  the  same  season  built  a  frame  house  near  the 
falls,  two  miles  above  the  mouth  of  that  river.  The  saw-mill  was 
erected  the  next  year.  In  1775,  Milltown  as  it  was  then  called, 
contained  from  20  to  30  houses,  and  was  the  largest  and  most 
flourishing  settlement  on  the  western  borders  of  the  lake.  It  was 
abandoned  during  the  war  of  the  revolution. 

For  a  very  full  and  interesting  account  of  the  early  settlement  of 
Willsborough,  Essex  County,  N.  Y.,  by  Mr.  Gilliland,  thd  reader  is 
referred  to  Mr.  Watson's  Pioneer  Hittory  of  the  Champlain  Valley. 


* 


» 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


93 


the  Ist  of  June,  1775,  Mr.  Hay  went  to  Montreal  to  purchase 
a  supply  of  flour,  and  was  there  arrested  and  thrown  into 
prison  by  order  of  General  Carleton.  He  remained  in 
prison  several  days,  but  was  at  length  liberated  at  the  solicit- 
ation of  the  merchants  of  that  city.  On  his  return  homo 
he  repaired  to  Crown  Point,  and  gave  information  to  the 
American  commander  as  to  the  strength  and  plans  of  tho 
Indians,  which  was  considered  of  great  importance  at  the  time. 
He  also  brought  the  first  news  of  Carleton's  efforts  to  enlist 
the  Caughuawagas  on  the  side  of  the  English.  For  some 
reason  he  was  afterwards  suspected  of  holding  communica- 
tion with  the  enemy,  and  in  July,  1776,  while  his  wife 
and  children  lay  sick  of  the  small  pox,  was  arrested 
and  sent  to  Crown  Point,  by  order  of  General  Sullivan ; 
Cross  accompanied  him.  "  These  men  are  suspected  of 
being  inimical  to  us  and  have  it  in  their  power  to  give 
intelligence  to  the  enemy,"  was  the  reason  assigned  for 
their  arrest. 

As  early  as  1763,  one  John  la  Frombois,  a  native  of 
Canada,  accompanied  by  two  men  named  Goude  and  Swarte, 
visited  the  shores  of  the  lake,  and  remained  a  short  time  in 
the  present  town  of  Chazy,  Clinton  county.  La  Frombois 
returned  to  Canada  in  1768,  and  obtained  permission  from 
Francis  McKay  to  settle  on  a  tract  which  McKay  pretended 
to  claim  by  virtue  of  an  assignment  of  the  old  French  grant 
toLa  Gauchetiere.i  Under  this  license  La  Frombois  took 
possession  of  what  are  now  lots  numbers  seventy  and  seventy- 
two,  in  Dean's  Patent,  and  built  a  house  on  number  seventy- 


>  See  Chap.  III.  La  Oauchetiere  assigned  to  Esiebe,  in  1 746,  who 
sold  to  do  Pontbriant,  Bishop  of  Quebec,  in  December,  1757. 
Pontbriant  afterwards  conveyed  to'de  Montgolfier,  Superior  of  the 
Seminary  of  St.  Sulpice,  who  in  17C8,  released  to  McKay,  as  one 
of  the  heirs  at  law  of  the  Bishop  de  Pontbriant. 


i 


f' 


II 


n,' 


r'ri 
r  1  * 


!l| 


L.\KR  CIIAMl'I.AIff. 


two,  wIkm'o  \\\.\  I'ciniiiiKMl  until  I77(>,  wlioii  lio  wnH  ilriviMi  nil' 
by  lh(t  Kii^lislniiKl  liis  hoiiHt)  Imii'imkJ.  lltn'oliii'iitMl  in  l7Hi, 
iillor  tlio  will',  rolmilt  his  Ihmiso  iukI  roniaiiitMl  in  ittmmtMHioii 
of  llio  lot.  until  his  <loatli  in  ISIO.  .Iu,s(>|)li  In  IMonto  (now 
Monty)  niovod  on  ton  lot  \wm'  La  J^'ronilxiiM,  in  1771,  wliic^li 
lio  ubiinilonoil  two  yoiiiM  iirtorwartlH,  an*l  riti^laiinud  ul'tttr  tlui 
war.     His  *l(>H('i<ntlantH  Htill  roHitlo  upon  tlio  Haino  land. 

Al'ltw  tlui  first  visit  of  La  Krondiois,  Init  Ixd'oni  liis  a<^tual 
location,  (Mnirlcs  do  h'i'(nl(<nt)ni';.;li,  a  ncody  (jornian  nolilo- 
nian,  who,  in  17(>(>,  liad  rocoiviMl  IVoni  tint  Kn^lisli  p;ov()rnnH>nt 
a  warrant  for  thirty  thousand  acres  ol'land,  lyini^on  the  river 
Saranai^  moved  on  to  the  tract  and  huilt  a  honsu  and  saw- 
mill (hero.  l>o  Kredonhur^h  remained  on  this  tract  until 
about  the  time  of  the  commencement  of  the  rev(dntion, 
when  he  renntvod  his  lamily  to  IMontreal.  He  soon  al'tttr 
relurned  to  protect  his  property,  and  had  been  back  but  u 
short  time,  when  the  hou.su  and  mill  wuru  burned  down. 
Kredunbur^h  disappeared  at  the  same  tinm  and  was  sup- 
posed to  have  been  murdered.  The  saw-mill  stood  (Ui  it 
fall  of  the  Saramu!,  two  miles  above  its  mouth. 

In  ]7(>1,  I'hilip  Skene,  an  Kn^lish  major  under  half  pay, 
who  had  bcun  with  Amherst  in  HT)*,),  established  a  large 
eidony  near  the  mouth  of  Wood  Ch'eek.  In  the  autumn  ho 
accompnuied  an  uxpedition  against  Havana,  and  on  his  re- 
turn, in  I7ti.'{,  found  the  settlenuMit  reduced  to  iiftuen  per- 
sons. He  inimediatoly  set  about  ri'establishing  the  (utlony, 
and  in  17t»r)  obtained  patents  for  twenty-live  thou,sand  acres 
of  land  lyin^;on  and  near  the  creek.  \\v.\v>  he  built  u  stonu 
nninsion  forty  f(;ot  by  thirty,  auid  two  stories  and  a  half  in 
hei<>ht.  In  1770  ho  erected  u  larj^o  stone  building  onu 
hundred  and  thirty  feet  long,  which  was  ii.sed  for  u  military 
garri.son  and  depot.  Ho  also  built  at  this  place  a  stone  forgo 
of  about  the  same  dimensions  as  his  house,  where  ho  com- 
uiouuod  tho  munufucturo  of  iron.     This  was  the  lirst  forgo 


II 


I.AKK  ailAMI'I.MS.  95 

(>r(M-t(>'l  uii  tlxi  lionlrrH  of  tlxi  liiko.  Skitrio  owriod  a  Hloop, 
willi  wliicli  ho  lvt!|)t  up  u  rcf^iilur  coiiiiiiiiiiiciitioii  with  <!anii- 
(hi,  iiimI  III,  lim  own  ux|n  n.so  ho  cut.  ii  roiul  thi'oii;^h  tho  wil- 
thti'iHssH  aH  far  as  Sahsiii,  a  iliMlaiioo  of  ahoiit  thirty  iiiiloH, 
from  whioh  point  it.  wiih  continiiiMl  )iy  oLliorn  to  lioniiin^loii. 
Thi.s  roatl  wmh  iiHod  diiriii^  tho  homhoii  whun  tho  navigation 
on  tho  hiko  wan  (doHod  liy  ico.  In  177J5,  SkonuHborouj^li 
uontainod  a  popidation  of  :>7'.K' 

Tho  uauHo.M  which  had  foriiicrly  pntvisntctd  (hu  occMipaiuiy 
of  th(t  fortilo  hiiidH  of  tho  <!liaiiiphiiii  Valley  wnro  roniovtMl 
wlicii  tho  wliolo  coiiiilry  ('am*;  into  tins  poHHOHHion  of  tho 
I'ln^liHli  ^'ovornniont,  hy  tho  coiKjiicst.  of  Canada,  in  ITtiO. 
Jiiit.  otiutr  dilficiilticH  alino.st.  iiiiiiiodial(dy  Hpran^^  up  to  re- 
tard tho  ^rowtli  of  thi.s  Hcdioii  of  country,  ori;;;inatin^  in 
thu  coiiili(;tin^  dainiM  <d'  tho  Mn^liHli  coloniHts  to  the  Hovcr* 
(ii^nty  of  that  portion  of  tho  valh^y  lying  oaHt  of  tho  laku. 
Tho  colony  of  Now  York  claimed  juriH<li(!tion  aH  far  oaHt  aH 
tlio  ('oniiocticiit  |{iv(!r,  while  New  llamp.shiro  aastirtcid  h«!r 
right  aH  far  west  as  the  HhoroH  of  th<!  lake;,  and  Hoiith  of  tho 
lake,  to  a  line  running  parallel  to  and  twenty  inih'H  (sant  of 
tho  Hudson  River,  lioth  colonioH  fro<(U(!ntly  iHHUod  grantH 
for  tho  Nanio  Uirritory,  causing  mu(di  eonfunion  in  tho  land 
titloH,  and  creating  groat  animoHity  butwoon  thu  rival  claim- 

lllltH. 

J'rior  to  the  oIoho  of  tho  year  17<»IJ,  tlio  governor  of  N(!W 
Hanipsliiro  had  grantcsd  cliiirtcrH  to  d;'>\ unt  perHonn  for 
fourteen  towiiH  lying  along  and  adjoining  ."uo  cast  Hhoro  of 
tho   lake,  and  by  similar  grantH,  had  asHcrtod  thu  right  of 


'Sco  a  petition  to  riovornor  Tryon,  praying  tliat  SkoncHhoronpth 
might  1)0  nittfle  tlic  Hliirctown  of  Ciiailolto  county.  Tiie  petition 
is  Higned  1>v  lliirly-ciglit  "  inliabitanlH  of  (!rown  Point  district  ami 


Ticondcroga."  TIicho  Iliirly-ciglit  prot)a))ly  includcfl  all  tho  HCt- 
tlcTH  in  tlio  vicinity  of  llioso  poHtH,  on  both  sides  of  tho  lake. — 
J)ocumcnlary  History  of  New  York,  vol.  IV. 


i 


u 


u 


00  LAKE  CnAMPLAIN. 

that  colony  to  the  whole  territory  claimed  to  be  within  her 
jurisdiction.  On  the  other  side,  the  colony  of  Now  York 
issued  grants  of  land  on  the  lake  to  cighty-ono  or  more  re- 
duced officers,  who  had  served  in  the  French  and  Indian 
wars  J  nearly  one-half  of  which  were  located  on  the  [east 
side  of  the  lake.  New  York  had  also  appropriated  a  large 
tract,  lying  between  Otter  Creek  and  Mallet's  Bay,  for  the 
disbanded  soldiers  of  those  wars.  A  county  had  also  been 
organized  by  New  York,  called  Charlotte  county,  which 
extended,  on  the  north,  from  Lake  Memphremagog  to  the 
St.  Regis  River,  and  stretched  south,  on  both  sides  of  the 
lake,  far  beyond  its  southern  extremity  j  the  county  seat  was 
fixed  at  Skenesborough. 

The  efforts  of  New  York  to  extend  its  jurisdiction  to  the 
east  was  met,  from  the  first,  by  a  most  decided  opposition  on 
the  part  of  the  people.  Conventions  were  called  to  devise 
means  to  protect  the  New  Hampshire  claimants  in  their 
rights,  committees  of  safety  were  organized,  and  the  law 
officers  and  land  surveyors  of  New  York  were  driven  by 
force  from  the  disputed  territory.  These  disputes  were 
generally  confined  to  the  southern  part  of  Vermont.  Occasion- 
ally, however,  they  extended  as  far  north  as  the  grants  upon 
the  lakes. 

In  1761,  the  governor  of  New  Hampshire  granted  a  tract 
of  land,  lying  around  the  lower  falls  of  Otter  Creek  (Ver- 
gennes),  to  several  persons  who  settled  there,  and  as  early 
as  17G9  had  erected  a  saw-mill  at  the  falls.  Soon  afber  the 
erection  of  the  mill.  Lieutenant  ColonelJohn  Reed,  who  had 
formerly  commanded  the  Forty-second  Royal  Highland  regi- 
ment, and  who  held  a  claim  to  the  same  land  under  the 
colony  of  New  York,  forcibly  drove  off  the  New  Hampshire 
settlers,  and  put  about  fifteen  families,  his  own  tenants,  in 
possession.  These  last  extended  the  settlements  and  had 
erected  several  log  houses  and  a  grist-mill,  when  they  were 


LAKK  CIIAMILAIX.  97 

in  turn  driven  off  by  a  party  of  (Jrccn  ^Fountain  noys,  who 
burned  the  houses,  de^itroyed  the  grist-mill  and  put  iho 
New  Hampshire  claimants  again  in  possession. 

In  June  177o,  Colonel  ]leed  persuaded  a  number  of 
Scotch  emigrants  who  had  lately  arrived  at  New  York, 
including  .iuhn  Cameron,  James  Henderson,  Donald  Mc- 
intosh, John  JJardans  and  Angus  MeJkan,  to  accompany 
him  to  Otter  Creek  for  the  purpose  of  retaking  possession  of 
these  lauds.  On  their  arrival  they  found  Joshua  Hyde  and 
several  other  persons  in  possession,  with  whom  Heed  entered 
into  an  arrangement  by  which  Hyde  and  hisassociates  were  to 
give  up  quiet  possession  of  the  lands  and  to  allow  Reed's 
tenants  to  retain  the  same  until  the  dispute  as  to  title  should  be 
decided  by  the  English  government.  Colonel  lleed  paid 
£G1,  10s.  for  the  crops  and  improvements,  repaired  the  grist 
mill,  and  also  purchased  a  (juantity  of  provisions  and  some 
cows  for  the  use  of  his  tenants.  He  then  left  them  and 
returned  to  New  York. 

This  arrangement,  although  made  with  the  consent  of  the 
New  Hampshire  claimants,  was  disapproved  by  the  committee 
of  safety,  who  sent  Ethan  Allen,  Seth  Warner  and  llcmember 
IJaker,  with  a  party  of  about  one  hundred  Green  Mountain 
boys  to  Otter  Creek  for  the  purpose  of  driving  off  the 
Scotch  occupants.  On  the  11th  of  August,  Allen's  party, 
attended  by  Ilyde  —  the  same  person  who  two  months 
before  had  sold  his  claim  to  Colonel  Keed  —  arrived  at  the 
settlements,  drove  the  Scotch  from  their  dwellings,  burned 
the  hay  and  corn  and  five  houses,  and  then  tore  down  the 
grist-mill,  breaking  the  mill-stones  in  pieces  and  throwing 
them  over  the  bank  into  the  creek.  Cameron  and  his 
companions  remained  at  Otter  Creek  jibout  two  weeks  longer, 
and  then  returned  to  New  York.  After  their  departure  a 
small  block  house  was  erected  at  the  falls,  which  was 
garrisoned  and  afterwards  used  as  a  protection  to  the  New 

13 


98  Z^AA'  CnAMPLALV. 

Hampshire   claimants.       Another  block    house  was   soon 
afterwards  built  near  the  falls  of  the  Winooski  lliver. 

During  the  controversy  between  the  settlers  under  the 
New  Hampshire  grants  and  the  colony  of  New  York,  a 
project  was  started  by  Major  Skene  and  others  to  form  that 
part  of  New  York,  lying  east  of  the  Hudson  River,  into 
a  new  province.  To  efl'ect  this  object,  Skene  visited  Eng- 
land, and  in  March,  1775,  wrote  back  that  he  had  been 
appointed  governor  of  Crown  Point  and  Ticonderoga,  and 
should  soon  call  on  the  people  for  an  address  to  show  their 
loyalty  to  the  king.  During  the  absence  of  Skene  the 
troubles  on  the  grants  had  increased  to  an  alarming  extent, 
and  it  is  extremely  doubtful  what  would  have  been  the  result 
of  the  contest,  had  not  the  commencement  of  the  American 
revolution  turned  the  attention  of  all  parties  to  the  common 
cause  of  the  country. 


i 


• 


\ 


'i 


CHAPTER  VI. 

WnrofllicRevolutlon  — SiirprlcHofTlcondproRa— ArnoUlnt  St.  Johns  — Scntl- 
inuntH  of  till!  C'aiiadlnnH  —  Iiiviit»l()ii  of  t'limirttt  —  Hloj;i)  of  Ht.  Jolum  — Death 
of  Ocucrul  Moutyomtry  lit  (iuebuc—Uo treat  of  tho  Army  of  CanaUu. 

"  We  conjure  you  by  all  that  is  deur,  by  all  that  is  sacred, 
that  you  give  all  assistance  possible  in  forming  an  army  for 
our  defense,"  was  the  appeal  of  Massachusetts,  while  tho 
first  blood  of  tho  revolution  yet  moistened  the  field  of  Lex- 
ington. Every  section  of  tho  country  responded  to  the  call. 
Liberty  poles  were  raised  throughout  Massachusetts  and  tho 
adjoining  provinces,  and  everywhere  the  militia  took  up  arms 
and  hastened  to  the  scene  of  action. 

"  Putnam  was  at  work  in  the  field  when  the  news  came 
that  blood  had  been  shed ;  he  immediately  dropped  his  im- 
plements and  started  for  Cambridge,  without  waiting  to 
change  his  apparel.  Stark  was  sawing  logs,  without  his 
coat;  he  shut  down  the  gate  of  his  mill,  and  commenced 
tho  journey  to  Boston  in  his  shirt  sleeves."  The  same  spirit 
was  displayed  throughout  tho  country.  Occasionally,  how- 
ever, a  few  persons  were  found  who  were  inimical  to  tho 
common  cause.  These  were  called  Tories,  and  were  often 
subjected  to  the  most  rigorous  discipline.  "  When  a  disaffect- 
ed tory  renders  himself  odious,"  says  Doctor  Thacher,  "  ho 
is  seized  by  a  company  of  armed  men,  and  conducted  to 
the  liberty  pole,  under  which  he  is  compelled  to  sign  a  recant- 
ation, and  give  bonds  for  his  future  good  conduct." 

Upon  one  occasion  a  divine  of  Long  Island  pronounced* 
from  his  pulpit,  a  severe  philippic  against  the  Patriots,  stig. 
matizing  them  as  rebels,  robbers  and  assassins.  Information 
of  the  high  tory  character  of  the  discourse  was  carried  to 


II 


ii 


V 


'■1% 


100 


LAKE  CIIAMPLAIN. 


'■ 


Captain  Nathaniel  Piatt,  a  most  zealous  patriot,  who  coiu- 
mnndcd  a  company  of  Long  Island  militia.  Capt.Platt  im- 
mediately called  out  his  men,  seized  the  minister  and  carried 
him  to  the  liberty  pole,  around  which  the  company  were  formed. 
The  minister  was  there  severely  reprimanded,  and  forced  to 
walk  up  and  kiss  the  pole  as  a  punishment  for  his  political 
heresy.  On  the  next  sabbath  Captain  Piatt  was  at  the 
church,  to  see  what  effect  his  ilinclplinc,  had  produced  upon 
the  man  of  God.  The  discourse  was  unexceptionable  until 
the  minister  ■  reached  the  conclusion  of  his  sermon,  when 
while  portraying  the  enjoyments  of  heaven  to  the  truo  Chris- 
tain,  he  gave  expression  to  his  feelings  by  turning  towards 
the  Captain  and  exclaiming,  "there  are  no  rebels  in  heaven, 
my  brethren. —  No  !  and  you  will  find  no  Nathaniel  Platts 
there,  nor  any  accursed  liberty  poles  to  kiss." 

The  great  body  of  the  clergy,  however,  were  firm  and 
zealous  patriots,  who  daily  offered  the  most  fervent  prayers 
in  behalf  of  their  bleeding  and  afflicted  country.  Upon 
one  occasion  a  zealous  divine,  who  had  been  compelled  to 
abandon  his  congregation  in  Boston,  used  the  following  em- 
phatic language  :  "Oh  !  Lord,  if  our  enemies  will  fight  us, 
let  them  have  fighting  enough.  If  more  soldiers  are  on  their 
way  hither,  sink  them,  O  Lord,  to  the  bottom  of  the  sea." 
"  Amen,"  responded  his  congregation,  "  Yea,  Lord,  let  them 
have  fighting  enough." 

Among  the  men  brought  out  by  the  revolution  to  meet  the 
exigencies  of  the  times,  were  Ethan  Allen  and  Benedict  Ar- 
nold. Arnold,  a  native  of  Connecticut,  was  indued  with 
qualities  which  characterized  him,  at  once,  as  the  best  of 
warriors  and  the  meanest  of  men.  In  battle  he  was  "  the 
bravest  among  the  brave."  No  enterprise  was  too  daring 
for  him  to  undertake,  no  obstacle  too  great  for  him  to  sur- 
mount. Whether  among  the  unexplored  forests  of  Maine, 
upon  the  decks  of  a  little  vessel  on  Lake  Champlain,  before 


LAKE  CIIA.VPLAIN. 


101 


the  muskets  of  a  platoon  at  Danbury,  or  under  the  fire  of 
Burgoyne's  veternn3  at  Beniis's  Heights,  he  was  firm,  daring 
and  unterrifiod.  But  in  every  other  respect  the  man  was 
despicable.  In  early  life  he  had  been,  by  turns,  a  half-bred 
apothecary,  a  retailer,  a  skipper  and  a  jockey,  and  had 
marked  his  course  by  hypocrisy,  falsehood  and  erime.  To 
escape  the  grasp  of  his  creditors,  he  committed  perjury,  and 
to  relieve  himself  of  pecuniary  embarrassments,  occasioned 
by  a  life  of  extravagance  and  profligacy,  he  practised  every 
dirty  act  of  peculation,  and  ultimately  aimed  a  traitor's 
dagger  at  the  bosom  of  his  country. 

Ethan  Allen  was  also  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  pos- 
sessed all  the  impetuous  daring  of  Arnold,  but  without  his 
vices.  Associated  in  early  life  with  the  pioneers  of  Ver- 
mont, he  soon  became  one  of  the  loading  men  in  that  (quar- 
ter, and  by  his  bold,  unyielding  spirit,  repelled  the  rejieated 
attempts  of  New  York  to  extend  her  jurisdiction  over  tho 
New  Hampshire  grants.  As  a  political  writer  he  was  clear 
and  forcible,  but  uncultivated ;  as  a  leader,  bold  and  decided 
but  often  rash;  as  a  man,  frank,  generous  and  unassuming. 

Such  were  the  two  men  who,  on  the  7th  of  May,  1775, 
met  at  Castleton  to  lead  an  expedition  to  the  surprise  of  Ti- 
conderoga.  Allen,  lurnished  witli  funds  by  Dean,  Wooster 
and  Parsons,  in  behalf  of  the  assembly  of  Connecticut,  had 
collected  a  band  of  two  hundred  and  seventy  men,  all  but 
forty-six  of  whom  were  his  own  well  tried  and  faithful  Green 
Mountain  boys,  led  by  Brown  and  the  cool  and  cautious 
Warner.  Arnold  came  attended  by  a  single  servant,  but 
bringing  with  him  a  colonel's  commission  from  the  commit- 
tee of  safety  of  Massachusetts,  authorizi-jg  him  to  raise  a 
regiment  of  four  hundred  men.  As  soon  as  the  two  leaders 
met,  Arnold  pompously  drew  forth  his  commission  and 
claimed  the  right  to  lead  the  expedition,  but  Allen  refused 
to  yield  tho  command.  The  dispute  was  at  length  referred 
to  a  committee  of  officers,  by  whom  it  was  decided  that 


1    1 


^Q2  LAKE  CnAMPLAIN. 

Allen  should  retain  the  command,  while  Arnold  was  to  act  as 
his  assistant.  The  main  body  now  left  Castleton  to  proceed 
by  land  to  a  point  opposite  Ticonderoga.  At  the  same  time, 
Captain  Herrick  was  sent  against  Skenesborough  with  thirty 
men,  with  orders  to  seize  the  small  fort  at  that  place,  to  take 
the  vessels  collected  there,  and  meet  Allen  and  transport 
his  party  across  the  lake. 

The  forts  at  Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point  had  been 
abandoned  soon  after  the  conquest  of  Canada,  and  were  now 
in  a  ruinous  condition.  Within  the  year  a  garrison  had  been 
sent  there,  at  the  request  of  the  governor  of  New  York,  to 
protect  the  public  property,  and  to  secure  that  section  from 
the  threatened  encroachments  of  the  New  Hampshire  claim- 
ants. The  garrison  was,  however,  small  and  weak ;  Crown 
Point  being  held  by  a  sergeant  and  twelve  men,  while  a 
company  of  only  forty-eight  men,  under  command  of  Cap- 
tain de  la  Place,  was  stationed  at  Ticonderoga. 

Early  on  the  evening  of  the  9th  of  May,  Allen's  party 
reached  the  shore  of  the  lake  opposite  Ticonderoga.  Herrick 
not  having  yet  arrived  from  Skenesborough,  it  became  neces- 
sary to  procure  a  supply  of  boats  in  the  neighborhood  in 
order  to  cross  to  the  fort.  This  was  a  work  of  no  small 
difficulty.  Douglass,  one  of  the  party,  was  sent  to  Bridport 
for  a  scow.  A  large  oar-boat  belonging  to  Major  Skene, 
which  lay  at  anchor  near  by,  was  decoyed  ashore  and  seized 
by  James  Wilcox  and  Joseph  Tyler,  while  several  smaller 
boats  were  procured  from  other  quarters. 

As  these  boats  were  not  sufficient  to  ferry  the  whole  party 
at  once,  it  was  arranged  that  Allen  and  Arnold  should  first 
cross   with  eighty-three  men,  and  that  the  boats  should  r" 
turn  for  the  rest  of  the  party,  who  were  to  remain  behind 
under  command  of  Warner,  i     The  little  band,  guided  by 


1  The  party  embarked  from  the  farm  next  north  of  Larabee'a 
Point,  in  Shoreham,  about  three  fourths  of  a  mile  below  the  fort. 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


103 


Nathan  Beman,  a  lad  of  fifteen  jears,  was  soon  drawn  up 
on  the  low  ground  below  the  fort,  where  an  altercation  again 
commenced  between  the  two  leaders,  each  claiming  the 
right  to  lead  the  advance.  Again  the  subordinate  ofiicers 
interfered,  and  decided  that  they  should  go  in  together — 
Allen  on  the  right  hand,  and  Arnold  on  the  left.  As  tho 
day  began  to  break,  it  was  deemed  prudent  to  make  tho 
attack  without  waiting  for  the  arrival  of  Warner,  who  had 
not  yet  crossed  the  lake  with  his  party. 

Allen  now  advanced  to  the  front  and  adrcssed  his  men, 
as  follows  :  "Friends  and  fellow  Soldiers — You  have,  for  a 
number  of  years  past,  been  a  scourge  and  terror  to  arbitrary 
power.  Your  valor  has  been  famed  abroad  and  acknow- 
ledged, as  appears  by  the  advice  and  orders  to  me  from  tho 
general  assembly  of  Connecticut,  to  surprise  and  take  the 
garrison  now  before  us.  I  now  propose  to  advance  before 
you,  and  in  person  conduct  you  through  tho  wicket  gate  j 
for  we  must  this  morning  either  quit  our  pretensions  to  valor, 
or  possess  ourselves  of  this  fortress  in  a  few  minutes  j  and 
inasmuch  as  it  is  a  desperate  attempt,  which  none  but  the 
bravest  of  men  dare  undertake,  I  do  not  urge  it  on  any  con- 
trary to  his  will.  You  that  will  undertake  voluntarily,  poise 
your  firelocks.  "  "Each  man,"  says  Allen, ;' poised  his  fire- 
lock. I  ordered  them  to  face  to  the  right,  and  at  the  head 
of  the  centre  file,  marched  them  immediately  to  the  wicket 
gate."» 

When  they  approached,  the  sentinel  snapped  his  gun, 
and  immediately  retreated  through  the  covered  way,  closely 
followed  by  the  assailants,  who  were  thus  guided  within 
the  fort.     As  the  patriots  rushed  into   the  parade  ground, 


This  farm  is  the  birth  place  of  the  Hon.  A.  C.  Hand,  of  Elizabeth- 
town,  one  of  the  justices  of  the  New  York  supreme  court,  and  has 
been  in  the  possession  of  his  family  since  the  year  1789. 
1  Allen's  Narrative. 


104 


LAKE  CnAMPLAIN. 


they  formed  in  the  centre,  facing  the  barracks,  and  gave  a 
loud  cheer,  while  Allen  ascended  a  flight  of  steps  leading 
to  the  commandant's  quarters,  and  in  a  loud  voice  ordered 
him  to  appear,  or  the  whole  garrison  would  he  sacrificed. 

In  this  affair  the  patriots  captured  forty-eight  men,  one 
hundred  and  twenty  pieces  of  cannon,  several  swivels  and 
howitzers,  together  with  a  large  number  of  small  arms  and 
ammunition  of  every  description,  and  also  a  warehouse  filled 
with  materials  for  boat  building.  Colonel  Warner  arrived, 
with  the  remainder  of  the  party,  just  after  the  surrender  of 
the  fort,  and  was  immediately  sent,  with  one  hundred  men, 
to  take  possession  of  Crown  Point ;  but  a  strong  head-wind 
drove  his  boats  back,  and  he  returned  to  Ticonderoga.  The 
next  morning  a  more  successful  attempt  was  made,  and  the 
fort  at  Crown  Point  was  captured  without  blood-shed.  War- 
ner was  there  met  by  Captain  llemember  Baker,  who  had 
left  the  small  fort  on  the  Winooski  to  join  Allen's  party, 
and  who,  on  his  way  up  the  lake,  had  intercepted  two  boats, 
which  had  been  sent  from  Crown  Point  to  carry  intelligence 
of  the  reduction  of  Ticonderoga  to  St.  Johns  and  Montreal. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  when  the  patriots  left  Castle- 
ton,  Captain  Herrick  was  sent  with  thirty  men  against 
Skenesborough.  Herrick  approached  the  place  unobserved, 
and  captured  young  Major  Skene,  twelve  negroes  and  about 
fifty  dependants  or  tenants,  without  firing  a  gun.  He  also 
took  a  large  schooner  and  several  small  boats  belonging  to 
Skene,  in  which  he  embarked  his  men  and  prisoners,  and 
passing  down  the  lake,  joined  Allen  at  Ticonderoga.  The 
history  of  the  surprise  of  Skenesborough  is  embellished  by 
an  account  of  a  singular  discovery  made  there  by  the  patri- 
ots. It  is  said  that  some  of  Herrick's  men,  while  searching 
Skene's  house,  found  the  dead  body  of  a  female  deposited  in 
the  cellar,  where  it  had  been  preserved  for  many  years. 
This  was  the  body  of  Mrs.  Skene,  the  deceased  wife  of  the 
elder  Skene,  who  was  then  in  Jlurope,  and  who  was  in  the 
receipt  of  an  annuity,  which  had  been  devised  to  his  wife 


I 


LAKE  CUAMPLAm.  y^^ 

"  while  she  remained  above  ground."  Like  a  good  patriot, 
Herrick  crippled  the  resources  of  the  enemy,  by  burying  the 
body  in  the  garden  at  the  rear  of  the  house. 

In  order  to  accomplish  their  plans,  and  to  obtain  absolute 
control  of  the  lake,  it  was  now  only  necessary  that  Allen  and 
Arnold  should  get  possession  of  an  armed  sloop,  of  about 
seventy  tons,  which  lay  at  anchor  in  the  Kichelieu  River,  near 
the  fort  of  St.  Johns.  After  consultation  and  a  dispute  be- 
tween tbe  two  officers,  who  were  mutually  jealous  of  each 
other,  it  was  agreed  that  Arnold  should  fit  out  and  arm  the 
schooner  which  Herrick  had  captured  at  Skenesborough, 
and  sail  for  St.  Johns,  accompanied  by  Allen,  who  was  to 
take  command  of  several  long-boats  which  lay  at  Crown 
Point. 

The  schooner  having  been  brought  to  Crown  Point,  Ar- 
nold embarked  on  the  evening  of  the  14th  of  May,  with  fifty 
men  under  Captains  Brown  and  Oswald,  and  on  the  17th 
arrived  within  thirty  miles  of  St.  Johns,  where  his  vessel 
was  becalmed.  Leaving  the  schooner,  he  manned  two  small 
boats  with  thirty-five  men,  suul  started  to  row  down  the  river. 
At  six  o'clock  the  next  morning  he  arrived  at  St.  Johns,  and 
surprised  a  sergeant  and  twelve  men  who  garrisoned  the 
fort.  He  also  seized  the  sloop,  in  which  he  found  seven  men 
and  two  brass  six-pounders.  From  the  prisoners  he  learned 
that  the  commanding  officer  of  the  fort  was  hourly  expected 
to  return  from  Montreal,  with  a  large  detachment  of  troops 
for  Ticonderoga,  and  a  number  of  guns  and  carriages  for  the 
sloop.  A  company  of  forty  men  was  also  momentarily  ex- 
pected from  Chambly. 

Arnold  had  at  first  intended  to  await  the  arrival  of  Allen, 
whohad  been  left  far  behind  by  the  schooner  while  crossing  the 
lake,  but  this  information  induced  him  to  hasten  his  departure. 
Having  destroyed  three  row-boats  he  immediately  set  out  on 
his  return,  taking  with  him  the  sloop,  four  l)oats  loaded  with 
stores,  and  twenty  prisoners.  The  party  had  proceeded 
about  fifteen  miles  when  they  met  Allen  with  one  hundred 

14 


I    ' 


i8      t 


206  LAKE  CHAMPLAm. 

men,  hastening  down  the  river.  Arnold  informed  Allen  of 
the  expected  arrival  of  troops  at  St.  Johns,  and  urged  him 
to  return.  But  this  Allen  refused  to  do,  declaring  that  ho 
should  push  on  to  St.  Johns,  and  hold  possession  of  it  with 
the  men  under  his  command.  ^ 

When  Allen  reached  St.  Johns,  he  learned  that  the  Eng- 
lish troops  were  within  two  miles  of  the  fort.  He  therefore 
crossed  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  where  he  encamped 
for  the  night.  Early  the  next  morning  the  English  com- 
menced a  fire  upon  the  party,  with  six  field  pieces  and  two 
hundred  small  arms.  Allen  returned  this  fire  for  a  short 
time,  but  finding  he  could  make  no  resistance  against  the 
superior  numbers  opposed  to  him,  he  hastily  ruembarkcd, 
leaving  three  of  his  men  behind. ^ 

As  soon  as  Arnold  reached  Crown  Point,  on  his  return,  ho 
fitted  up  the  sloop  with  six  cannon  and  ten  swivels,  fixed  four 
guns  and  six  swivels  on  the  schooner,  and  prepared  to  resist 
an  expected  attack  against  that  place  from  Canado.  Also 
wrote  to  the  committees  of  safety  of  Massachusetts  and  New 
York,  urging  them  to  send  forward  a  large  body  of  men  to 
rebuild  the  fort  at  Ticonderoga. 

The  fortunate  issue  of  the  movement  against  the  British 
possessions  on  Lake  Champlain  was  of  the  utmost  import- 
ance to  the  cause  of  the  country,  as  it  created  a  confidence 
among  the  people  in  the  ultimate  success  of  the  struggle,  and 
at  the  same  time,  placed  the  colonists  in  possession  of  the 
key  of  Canada,  efiectually  preventing  any  sudden  attack 
from  that  quarter. 

The  feelings  of  the  Canadians  in  regard  to  the  approach- 
ing struggle  were  not  known,  nor  could  it  yet  be  determined 
which  side  of  the  question  they  would  take.  Sir  Guy  Carle- 
ton,  governor  of  Canada,  used  every  exertion  to  enlist 
them  on  the  side  of  the  government,  while  the  American 


1  Arnold  to  Committee  of  Safety  of  Massachusetts. 
>  Arnold  to  Qeneral  Assembly  of  Massachusetts. 


\ 


LAKE  CIIAMPLAiy.  JQy 

congrcds,  on  its  part,  endeavored  to  conciliate  their  friend- 
ship, and  induce  them  to  make  common  cause  with  the  colo- 
nists, or  at  least,  to  stand  neutral  during  the  approaching 
struggle.  The  eiforta  of  congress  were  so  fur  successful  as 
to  secure  their  neutrality. 

Disappointed  in  not  receiving  the  ciioperation  of  the 
Canadians,  Gen.  Carleton  next  attempted  to  rally  the  royalists, 
and  for  that  purpose  organized  a  corps  to  which  he  gave  the 
name  of  the  Koyal  Highland  Emigrants.  He  also  entered 
into  negotiations  with  the  Indians.  Towards  the  last  of  July, 
Colonel  Guy  Johnson,  superintendent  of  Indian  aflFairs, 
arrived  at  Montreal,  accompanied  by  a  number  of  the  chiefs 
and  warriors  of  the  Six  Nations.  Here  a  solemn  council 
was  held,  and  the  assembled  Indians  swore,  in  the  presence 
of  the  governor,  to  support  the  cause  of  the  king  against 
the  colonists.  A  great  number  however,  who  had  not 
attended  the  council,  declared  they  would  not  intermeddle  in 
the  dispute,  nor  would  they  consent  to  aid  or  oppose  either 
party.  i  T 

The  American  congress  was  informed  of  these  attempts 
on  the  part  of  General  Carleton,  to  enlist  the  Canadians  and 
Indians  on  the  side  of  the  king.  It  was  also  advised  that  the 
Canadians  had  refused  to  enter  into  the  contest ;  but  there 
was  no  assurance  that  they  would  long  preserve  their  neu- 
trality. Carleton  had  obtained  great  influence  over  this  class, 
and  might  ultimately  succeed  in  drawing  them  over  to  his 
side.  To  prevent  this,  and  in  the  hopes  that  the  habitans 
might  be  persuaded  to  embrace  the  opportunity  to  attempt 
the  vindication  of  their  political  rights,  congress  determined 
to  fit  out  an  expedition  for  the  invasion  of  Canada.  For  this 
purpose  three  thousand  New  York  and  New  England  troops 
were  ordered  to  assemble  at  Crown  Point  and  Ticonderoca. 
under  the  command  of  Major  General  Schuyler  and  Brigadier 
General  Montgomery,  while  an  expedition  was  organized  to 
march  against  Quebec,  by  the  way  of  the  Kennebec  River. 


n 


108  LAKE  CIlAMPLAIiV. 

I.  large  uutnbcr  of  flat  bottomed  boats  were  built  at 
Skeuesborough,  Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point,  for  the  trans- 
portation of  the  army  across  the  lake,  and  congress,  by 
great  exertions,  raised  the  sum  of  tifty  thousand  dollars  in 
specie,  for  the  support  of  the  army  while  in  Canada.  The 
arrangements  for  the  expedition  were  conducted  by  General 
Montgomery,  while  General  Schuyler  remained  at  Albany 
to  close  negotiations  for  a  treaty  of  peace  with  the  Mohawk 
Indians,  over  whom  he  had  great  influence. 

General  Carleton,  in  the  meantime,  was  actively  engaged 
in  preparations  to  oppose  the  advance  of  the  American 
army.  He  placed  the  works  at  St.  Johns  in  good  repair, 
and  directed  a  large  vessel  to  be  constructed  there,  which 
he  intended  to  station  near  the  north'  or  lower  end  of  the 
lake. 

The  American  generals  deemed  it  important  by  an 
immediate  movement,  to  prevent  Carleton  from  getting 
possession  of  the  passage  down  the  Richelieu  River.  Mont- 
gomery, therefore,  on  the  4th  of  September,  embarked  what 
men  he  had  collected  at  Crown  Point  and  sailed  for  Canada, 
leaving  orders  for  the  rest  of  the  troops  to  follow,  as  soon  as 
they  should  arrive.  Schuyler  left  Albany  in  great  haate, 
and  following  rapidly,  joined  Montgomery  near  Isle  la  Motte. 
From  that  place  the  two  generals  moved  to  Isle  aux  Noix, 
where  they  issued  an  address  to  the  Canadians,  assuring 
them  that  the  army  was  not  designed  to  act  against  their 
country,  but  was  directed  only  against  the  British  garrisons 
and  troops,  and  exhorting  them  to  join  the  Americans,  in 
order  to  assert  and  defend  their  liberties.  Copies  of  this 
address  were  distributed  by  Colonel  Allen  and  Major  Brown, 
who  were  sent  among  the  people  of  the  adjacent  country  for 
that  purpose. 

The  army,  although  not  over  one  thousand  strong,  now 
moved  forward,  and  soon  afterwards  landed  about  one  and  a 


) 


LAKE  CJIAMPLAiy.  JQj) 

half  miles  above  the  Fort  of  St.  Johns.  At  this  point  the 
ground  was  marshy,  and  covered  with  thick  woods,  through 
which  the  men  had  to  pass  in  order  to  reach  the  fort.  While 
advancing  to  reconnoitre  the  works,  the  left  wing  was  attacked 
by  a  party  of  Indians,  who  killed  three  and  wounded  eight 
of  the  Americans.  The  Indians  were  however  repulsed 
with  some  loss.  Schuyler  then  advanced  to  within  sight 
of  the  fort,  where  he  commenced  a  breastwork ;  but  finding 
the  work  strongly  fortified  and  garrisoned,  and  learning  that 
the  armed  sloop  was  preparing  to  sail  from  St.  Johns  towards 
his  boats,  which  had  been  left  with  only  a  slight  guard,  he 
determined  to  retire  to  the  Isle  aux  Noix,  and  there  await 
the  arrival  of  the  artillery  and  the  rest  of  the  troops,  who 
were  daily  expected.  Schuyler  fortified  Isle  aux  Noix,  and 
to  prevent  the  passage  of  the  sloop  into  the  lake,  constructed 
a  chevaux-de-frise  across  the  channel  of  the  river,  which  is 
very  narrow  at  that  point.  As  soon  as  these  arrangements 
were  completed,  he  returned  to  Albany  to  conclude  hia 
treaty  with  the  Indians,  where  he  was  attacked  with  a  severe 
illness  which  disabled  him  from  duty.  The  conduct  of  the 
Canada  expedition  then  devolved  upon  General  Montgomery, 
who  retained  the  sole  command  until  he  fell  under  the  walls 
of  Quebec. 

A  small  detachment  of  recruits,  with  a  few  pieces  of 
artillery,  having  arrived  at  Isle  aux  Noix,  Montgomery  de- 
termined again  to  push  forward  an^  undertake  the  siege  of 
St.  Johns.  This  fort  was  garrisoned  by  five  or  six  hundred 
regulars  and  two  hundred  Canadians,  under  Major  Preston, 
and  was  well  supplied  with  stores,  ammunition  and  artillery. 
The  American  army,  on  the  contrary,  was  undisciplined  and 
disorderly,  the  artillery  was  too  light,  the  mortars  were 
defective,  the  ammunition  scarce,  and  the  artillerists  unprac- 
tised in  their  duties.  Still  these  difficulties  did  not  abate  the 
ardor  or  zeal  of  the  commanding  officer. 


t;tj 


■ 


110 


LAKE  CnAMPLAIN. 


i  ; 


I 


On  the  18tli  of  Soptcniber,  Montgomery  led  a  party  of 
five  hundred  men  to  the  north  of  the  fort,  where  he  met  a 
detachment  from  the  garrison,  with  which  he  had  u  slight 
fikirmish.  Proceeding  a  little  further  north,  he  formed  an 
intrenched  camp  at  the  junction  of  the  roads  leading  from 
Montreal  and  Chambly,  and  then  hastened  back  to  bring  up 
his  artillery.  A  few  days  afterwards  the  camp  was  moved 
to  higher  ground,  north-west  of  the  fort,  where  a  breastwork 
was  thrown  up. 

Although  the  Americans  had  now  encompassed  the  fort, 
they  could  do  but  little  towards  a  regular  siege  for  the  want 
of  ammunition  and  heavy  guns  to  breach  the  works;  but 
fortune  soon  opened  a  way  through  which  to  supply  this 
deficiency.  A  little  below  St.  Johns,  and  upon  the  same 
river,  is  Fort  Chambly,  which  then  contained  several  pieces 
of  cannon,  one  hundred  and  twenty-four  barrels  of  gunpow- 
der and  a  large  quantity  of  military  stores  and  provisions. 
The  fort  was  garrisoned  by  six  officers  and  eighty-three  pri- 
vates. On  the  18th  of  October,  a  strong  detachment  of 
Americans  and  Canadians — many  of  the  latter  having  by 
this  time  joined  the  army  —  were  placed  under  command 
of  Majors  Livingston  and  Brown,  and  ordered  to  attack  the 
fort.  The  detachment  passed  down  the  river  in  boats  dur- 
ing a  dark  night,  and  surprised  the  fort,  which  made  but  a 
feeble  resistance.  The  stores  and  ammunition  were  sent  to 
Montgomery,  who  now  supplied  with  the  necessary  muni- 
tions, pressed  the  siege  of  St.  Johns  with  vigor.  A  strong 
battery  of  four  guns  and  six  mortars  was  erected  within  two 
hundred  and  fifty  yards  of  the  fort,  and  a  block-house  was 
built  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  mounting  one  gun  and 
two  mortars. 

While  Montgomery  was  thus  employed  at  St.  Johns,  de- 
tachments of  his  army  were  scouring  the  country  between 
the  Richelieu  and  the  St.  Lawrence.  One  of  these  detach- 
ments, numbering  about  eighty  men,  under  command  of 


1 


LAKE  CffAMPLATN. 


Ill 


Colonel  Ethan  Allen,  passed  through  all  the  parishes  cast 
of  the  Richelieu  as  fur  as  its  mouth.  From  this  point,  Al- 
len moved  up  the  east  bank  of  the  St.  Lawrence  to  Longue- 
uil,  where  he  crossed  the  river,  and  on  the  morning  of  the 
25th  of  September,  appeared  unexpectedly  before  the  city 
of  JNIontreal.  IIo  was  there  met  by  General  Carleton,  and 
his  whole  party  taken  prisoners.  A  few  days  later,  Carleton 
left  Montreal  with  one  thousand  regulars,  Canadians  and 
Indians,  for  the  purpose  of  raising  the  siege  of  Fort  St. 
Johns.  He  embarked  upon  the  St.  Lawrence  and  attempted 
to  land  at  Longueuil,  but  was  driven  back  by  Colonel  Seth 
Warner,  who  with  three  hundred  CJreen  Mountain  boys, 
lay  secreted  on  the  east  bank  of  the  river,  ' 

When  Montgomery  heard  of  Colonel  Warner's  success, 
he  sent  a  flag  to  Major  Preston  informing  him  of  Carleton's 
repulse,  and  demanding  the  immediate  surrender  of  the  fort. 
Preston  asked  for  a  delay  of  four  days,  which  was  denied, 
and  the  demand  renewed.  The  next  morning  (Nov.  3d) 
the  whole  garrison  surrendered  as  prisoners  of  war.  Among 
the  spoils  found  in  the  fort  were  seventeen  pieces  of  brass 
ordnance,  two  howitzers,  seven  mortars,  twenty-two  iron 
cannon  and  eight  hundred  stand  of  arms,  with  a  quantity  of 
shot  and  small  shells.  The  prisoners  "  were  treated  with 
great  kindness,  and  were  conveyed  by  the  way  of  Ticonde- 
roga,  into  the  interior  of  New  England  for  safe  keeping. 

Montgomery  received  great  praise  for  the  energy  and  per- 
severance with  which  he  had,  for  six  weeks,  urged  the  siege 
against  obstacles  of  the  most  difficult  and  embarrassing  char- 
acter. Not  only  did  he  lack  proper  implements  and  muni- 
tions of  war,  but  his  army  was  composed  of  young  and  raw 
troops,  unused  to  the  privations  of  the  field,  or  to  military 
restraint.  Indeed  his  camp  at  times  resembled  a  great 
political  assembly.  Prompt  and  implicit  obedience  to~orders 
was  unknown.  Each  man  claimed  a  right  to  canvass,  debate 
and  decide  upon  all  the  plans  and  movements  of  the  cam- 


112 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


i  : 


i    l\ 


paign.  This  influbordination  oxtcndod  through  all  tho 
grades  of  tho  army.  Tho  colonels  would  dispute  with  the 
gODoral,  to  bo  themselves  opposed  by  their  captains;  and 
when  these  last  wcro  convinced,  tho  whole  subject  must 
again  bo  debated  with  tho  rank  and  filo,  who  claimed  an 
equal  right  of  judging  for  themselves  whether  the  proposed 
plan  was  expedient,  it  required  tho  kind  temper,  patriotic 
zeal  and  winning  eloquence  of  Montgomery  to  restrain  such 
turbulent  and  disaffected  spirits  from  acts  of  open  mutiny. 

After  the  capitulation  of  Fort  St.  Johns,  Montgomery 
marched  against  Montreal,  and  entered  that  city  on  the  l<ith 
of  November.  lie  then  moved  down  the  St.  Tjawrcnco, 
and  on  the  1st  of  December  arrived  at  Point  aux  Trembles, 
about  twenty  miles  above  Quebec,  where  he  found  Colonel 
Arnold,  who  with  seven  hundred  and  fifty  men  had  crossed 
to  the  St.  Lawrence,  through  the  thick  forest  and  the  almost 
impassible  mountains  of  Maine.  On  tho  Sth,  the  united  for- 
ces, even  yet  less  in  number  than  the  British,  arrived  within 
sight  of  the  walls  of  Quebec,  and  at  two  o'clock  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  81st,  advanced  to  tho  assault  of  the  city. 

Captains  Brown  and  Livingston,  with  ninety-four  men,  were 
directed  to  lead  a  feint  against  the  upper  town,  while  Mont- 
gomery was  to  advance  by  the  way  of  Cape  Diamond,  and 
Arnold  through  St.  Roche,  to  assault  the  lower  town,  on 
opposite  sides.  The  morning  was  cold  and  stormy;  the  snow 
fell  fast,  and  was  piled  in  heavy  drifts  by  a  furious  north- 
west wind.  Cautiously  Montgomery  led  his  men  in  the 
dark  from  the  plains  of  Abraham  to  Wolfe's  Cove,  and  along 
the  margin  of  the  river  to  a  point  under  Cape  Diamond, 
where  the  British  had  erected  a  strong  stockade  extending 
from  the  precipice  to  the  brink  of  the  river.  On  the  approach 
of  the  Americans,  the  men  posted  behind  the  stockade  re- 
treated to  a  block-house,  which  stood  a  short  distance  to  the 
north,  and  which  was  pierced  with  loop-holes  for  musketry 
and  cannon.    In  the  second  story  of  the  block-house  were 


LAKE  CUAMPLAl^f. 


113 


some  cannon  clmrgod  with  prapo  and  canister  shot,  and  so 
pointed  as  to  sweep  th(t  narrow  eaifway  above. 

As  the  asstiil;!  its  advanc^l^  and  when  they  were  within 
forty  paces  of  thu  block-house,  a  single  gun  loaded  with 
grape  was  discharged,  which  killed  Montgomery,  his  two 
aids,  Captains  McPhcrson  and  Cheesenian,  and  every  man  in 
front  except  Captain  Aaron  Burr  and  a  French  guide.  The 
brave  and  gallant  Montgomery  fell  into  Burr's  arms  and  ex- 
pired. The  rest  of  the  party,  appalled  at  the  fearful  havoc 
and  the  death  of  their  general,  retired  in  confusion. 

The  attack  upon  the  opposite  side  of  the  town  was  equally 
unsuccessful.  The  detachment  passed  through  St.  Roche 
towards  a  two  gun  battery,  which  was  captured  by  Morgan's 
riflemen  after  an  hour's  severe  struggle.  At  the  commence- 
ment of  the  attack  Arnold  received  a  severe  wound  in  the 
leg,  and  was  carried  helpless  from  the  field.  Morgan  con- 
tinued the  fight,  until  one  half  of  his  men  were  killed  and 
the  rest  were  benumbed  and  helpless  from  cold,  when  he  sur- 
rendered. 

Montgomery  was  endeared  to  the  army  and  to  his  country, 
by  the  possession  of  every  noble  virtue.  With  intrepid 
bravery  he  led  his  little  band  of  half  clothed  and  undisci- 
plined men  Under  the  walls  of  Quebec,  and  fell  upon  a  soil 
already  hallowed  by  the  blood  of  a  Wolfe  and  a  Montcalm. 
His  death  was  a  great  public  calamity.  America  acknow- 
ledged his  worth  and  paid  public  honors  to  his  memory, 
while  the  eloquence  of  England's  purest  statesmen  pro- 
claimed his  praise  upon  the  floor  of  the  British  parliament. 
"  Happy  would  it  have  been  for  Arnold,"  exclaimed  a 
celebrated  American,^  "  if  instead  of  being  wounded,  he 
too  had  died,  since  by  his  subsequent  treason  at  West 
Point,  he  blasted  forever  the  glory  of  his  gallant  conduct 
on  that  occasion." 

After  the  death  of  Montgomery,  the  remains  of  the  little 


Colonel  Trmnbull. 


15 


114 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIK. 


•  •.  ,1     I 


I  i. 


t    I 


army  retired  to  a  point  about  three  miles  up  the  river,  where 
they  remained  during  the  winter.  On  the  1st  of  May,  Gen- 
eral Thomas  arrived  and  took  command  of  the  troops  which, 
by  reinforcements  from  time  to  time,  now  numbered  about 
nineteen  hundred  men.  The  army  was  soon  afterwards 
increased  to  three  thousand,  but  the  small  pox  breaking  out 
in  the  ranks  with  great  severity,  not  over  nine  hundred 
were  fit  for  duty.  General  Thomas  in  a  few  days  retired  as 
far  as  the  mouth  of  the  Richelieu,  where  he  was  taken  down 
with  the  small  pox.  He  was  removed  to  Chambly,  and 
died  there  on  the  2d  of  June.  About  the  time  of  Thomas's 
death.  General  Sullivan  arrived  in  Canada  with  a  reinforce- 
ment of  several  battalions,  and  assumed  the  chief  com- 
mand. 

Early  in  the  spring  of  1776,  the  British  force  in  Canada 
was  augmented  by  the  arrival  from  England  of  thirteen 
thousand  men,  a  large  portion  of  whom  were  sent  into  camp 
at  Three  Rivers.  Against  this  place  an  unsuccessful  attack 
was  made,  in  which  General  Thompson  and  two  hundred 
men  were  taken  prisoners.  Other  reverses  followed,  until 
General  Sullivan,  finding  his  numbers  greatly  diminished 
by  sickness,  desertion  and  death^  determined  to  evacuate 
Canada.  He  therefore,  on  the  14th  of  June,  abandoned  his 
position  at  the  mouth  of  the  Richelieu,  and  leisurely  moved 
up  its  banks  towards  St.  Johns.  Arnold,  who  had  been  pro- 
moted to  the  rank  of  brigadier  general,  and  who  then  com- 
manded at  Montreal,  withdrew  from  that  city  on  the  15th, 
and  marching  across  the  country,  joined  Sullivan's  division 
at  Chambly. 

The  Amei-  id  general  conducted  the  retreat  in  good 
order,  and  savea  ail  the  baggage,  artillery  and  military 
stores,  which  were  dragged  up  the  rapids  of  the  Richelieu 
in  boats.  The  army  reached  St.  Johns  towards  the  last  of 
June.  The  sick  were  immediately  sent  to  Isle  aux  Noix, 
Point  au  Fer  and  Isle  la  Motte,  when  the  boats  returned 
and  took  the  remainder  of  the  troops  to  Isle  aux  Noix. 


LAKE  CUAMPLAI^f. 


115 


Here  the  men  fit  for  duty  remained  for  eight  days,  waiting 
for  the  boats  to  take  the  sick  to  Crown  Point  and  to  return. 
It  is  difficult  to  conceive  a  degree  of  misery  greater  than 
that  suffered  by  the  invalids  during  their  voyage  through  the 
lake.  The  boats  were  leaky  and  without  awnings,  and  the 
men,  lying  upon  the  bottom,  were  drenched  with  water,  and 
exposed  to  the  burning  sun.  Their  only  sustenance  was 
raw  and  rancid  pork  and  hard  biscuit  or  unbaked  flour. 
"  The  sight  of  so  much  misery,  privation  and  distress,"  says 
Doctor  Meyrick,  "  broke  my  heart,  and  I  wept  till  I  had  no 
more  power  to  weep." 

When  the  boats  returned  to  Isle  aux  Noix  they  were  load- 
ed with  the  baggage,  while  the  men  were  sent  by  land  to 
Point  au  Fer,  which  had  been  fortified  by  order  of  General 
Sullivan.  At  that  place  they  found  a  supply  of  boats 
awaiting  them,  in  which  they  embarked,  and  on  the  3d  of 
July,  reached  Crown  Point. 

The  broken  fragments  of  the  army  of  Canada  present- 
ed one  of  the  most  distressing  sights  witnessed  during  the 
whole  war.  Of  the  five  thousand  two  hundred  men  collect- 
ed at  Crown  Point,  twenty-eight  hundred  were  so  sick  as  to 
require  the  attentions  of  the  hospital,  while  those  reported 
as  "fit  for  duty,"  were  half  naked,  emaciated  and  entirely 
broken  down  in  strength,  spirits  and  discipline.  Some  few 
lay  in  tents,  others  in  half  built  sheds,  but  by  far  the  greater 
number  occupied  miserable  bush  huts,  which  afforded  a 
slight  shelter  from  the  burning  sun,  but  were  no  protection 
against  the  damp  and  unhealthy  night  air.  Among  these 
tents  and  huts  the  men  were  scattered  in  indiscriminate 
confusion,  without  regard  to  comfort  or  health,  or  to  the  dis- 
tinction of  companies,  regiments  or  corps.  "  I  found  the 
troops  totally  disorganized  by  the  death  or  sickness  of 
officers,"  says  Colonel  Trumbull,  "and  I  can  truly  say, 
that  I  did  not  look  into  tent  or  hut  in  which  I  did  not 
find  either  a  dead  or  dying  man."     The  troops  remained 


,\ 


mmmm^mmmm 


IIQ  LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 

about  ten  days  at  Crown  Point,  and  when  they  left  for 
Ticonderoga,  over  three  hundred  new  made  graves  attested 
the  frightful  ravages  that  death  had  made  among  their 
broken  ranks.* 


"^'Baiio.^s  American  Revolution — American  Archives,  Fifth  Series 
—  Trumbull's  Reminiscences  of  his  own  Times  —  Thacher's  Military 
Journal — Davis's  Memoirs  of  A.  Burr  —  Journal  of  the  New  York 
Provincial  Congress— A\\ev!i  Narrative. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

1T76  —  The  Americans  and  British  bnild  armed  Vesselfl  on  Lake  Cbamplain  — 
Arnold's  Cruise  on  the  Lalce —Battle  of  Valcour  Island— Defeat  of  the  Ameri- 
can Fleet  near  Split  Aock  —  The  British  occupy  Crown  Point—  Condition  of 
the  American  Army  at  Ticonderoga. 

The  plan  of  the  campaign  of  1776,  as  formed  by  the 
British  ministry,  contemplated  a  separate  movement  against 
Ticonderoga  and  New  York,  and  the  conjunction  of  the  two 
armies  at  Albany.  General  and  Lord  Howe  were  sent  with 
a  large  military  and  naval  force  against  New  York,  while  the 
thirteen  thousand  troops  collected  in  Canada  were  placed 
under  the  command  of  Sir  Cruy  Carleton,  who  had  under  him 
Generals  Burgoyne,  Phillips,  Fraser,  Nesbit  and  Eiedesel ; 
all  men  of  acknowledged  skill  and  ability.  Several  vessels 
were  built  in  England,  and  sent  over  to  be  used  on  Lake 
Champlain. 

During  the  summer  of  .1776,  the  English  were  busily  en- 
gaged in  preparing  a  fleet  for  the  lake  service.  Seamen, 
ship  carpenters  and  laborers  were  collected  at  St.  Johns  in 
numbers.  The  vessels  built  in  England  were  taken  to  pieces, 
carried  over  the  rapids  of  the  Eichelieu  and  reconstructed. 
Several  other  vessels  were  brought  up  from  the  St.  Law- 
rence, and  a  great  number  of  transports  were  framed  and 
launched  at  St.  Johns.  The  fort  at  St.  Johns  was  repaired 
and  strengthened,  and  garrisoned  with  three  thousand  men ; 
an  equal  number  was  stationed  at  Isle  aux  Noix.  The  rest 
of  the  troops  were  reserved  to  man  the  armed  vessels  and 
transports,  and  to  form  the  army  of  invasion.  Six  hundred 
and  ninety-seven  seamen  were  also  drafted  from  the  Isia 


118 


LAKE  CHAMPLAI^. 


and  the  other  ships  of  war  lying  at  Quebec,  and  sent  for- 
ward to  Lake  Champlain.^ 

While  the  English  were  thus  engaged,  the  Americana 
were  actively  employed  at  the  other  extremity  of  the  lake, 
in  preparations  to  repel  the  threatened  invasion.  On  the 
17th  of  June,  Congress  appointed  Major  General  Gates  to 
the  command  at  Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point.  Gates 
found  those  posts  in  a  very  reduced  condition.  The  small 
pox  was  still  prevalent  among  the  troops,  not  a  cannon  was 
mounted,  nor  were  any  preparations  made  for  defense.  The 
first  efforts  of  the  commander-in-chief  were  directed  to  re- 
cruiting'the  ranks,  restoring  the  men  to  health,  and  providing 
them  with  clothing  and  necessary  accommodations.  Those 
sick  of  the  small  pox  were  sent  to  a  general  hospital  estab- 
lished at  the  head  of  Lake  George.  Reinforcements  were 
earnestly  solicited  from  the  Eastern  states,  and  requisitions 
made  for  ship  carpenters  to  be  employed  at  Skenesborough 
in  building  the  hulls  of  galleys  and  boats.  Crown  Point  was 
reduced  to  a  mere  post  of  observation,  while  the  most  active 
efforts  were  made  to  enlarge  and  strengthen  the  defenses  at 
Ticonderoga.  Mount  Independence  was  carefully  examined 
by  Colonels  Wayne  and  Trumbull,  who  reported  that  the 
ground  was  finely  adapted  for  a  military  post.  A  portion  of 
the  troops  were  ordered  to  clfear  away  the  wood  and  to  en- 
camp upon  this  eminence.  The  Pennsylvania  regiments, 
the  elite  of  the  army,  were  posted  at  the  French  lines, 
which  they  were  ordered  to  repair ;  and  the  old  works  were 
strengthened  at  all  points. 

The  small  fort  at  Skenesborough  was  also  repaired,  and 
that  place  selected  as  the  point  of  rendezvous  for  the  ex- 


*  The  number  of  seamen  detached  for  this  service  was  as  follows  : 
From  the  Isis,  100 ;  Blood,  70 ;  Triton,  60 ;  Garland,  80 ;  Canceaux, 
40 ;  Magdelen,  Brunswick  and  Gasper,  18 ;  Treasury  and  several 
armed  brigs,  90;  Fell,  80;  Charlotte,  9 ;  from  transports,  214; 
Volunteers,  0;  besides  8  officers  and  19  petty  officers.        , 


TICONDEROGA  AND  ITS  DEPENDENCIES,  AUGUST,  ITTO. 
From  a  plan  drawn  by  Col.  John  Tnunbull. 


^J^'wIwwS 


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LAKE  CUAMPLAIN.  JgJ 

pectcd  reinforcements.  The  lake  above  Ticonderoga  soon 
presented  a  scene  of  busy  activity,  as  boats  were  constantly 
passing  and  repassing,  loaded  with  men,  provisions  and  mu- 
nitions of  war.  By  the  month  of  September  an  army  of  from 
eight  to  ten  thousand  men  had  been  collected  at  Ticonderoga. 
Each  regiment  had  its  alarm  post  assigned,  to  which  it  was 
ordered  to  repair  at  daylight  every  morning,  and  every 
means  was  taken  by  the  officers  to  bring  the  whole  body  to 
a  state  of  high  discipline.^ 

The  superintendence  of  the  construction  of  the  fleet  was 
confided  to  General  Arnold,  who  entered  upon  the  work 
with  his  characteristic  energy,  but  in  its  progress,  found 
himself  surrounded  by  great  and  complicated  difficulties,  oc- 
casioned by  want  or  limited  supplies  of  nearly  all  the  ma- 
terials necessary  for  boat  building,  or  a  naval  equipment. 
These  embarrassments  only  excited  the  men  to  greater  exer- 
tions. By  the  middle  of  August  Arnold  was  prepared  to 
take  the  lake  with  a  naval  force  carrying  fifty-five  guns  and 
seventy-eight  swivels,  and  manned  by  three  hundred  and 
ninety-five  men.  His  fleet  consisted  of  the  sloop  Enterprise, 
Captain  Dickson;  the  schooner  lloyal  Savage,  Captain 
Wynkoopj  schooner  Revenge,  Captain  Seaman;  schooner 
Liberty,  Captain  Premier ;  and  the  gondolas  New  Haven, 
Providence,  Boston,  Spitfire,  and  Philadelphia. ^ 

With  this  force  Arnold  sailed  from  Crown  Point  on  the 

20th  of  August,  and  cruised  between  that  place  and  the 

^mouth  of  the  Bouquet  River  until  the  2nd  of  September. 

On  the  evening  of  the  2nd  he  proceeded  north  as  far  as 

Schuyler  Island,  and  the  next  day  reached  Windmill  Point, 


^  Tlvatsxhvia^ a  Reminiscences  of  hia  own  Timet. 

^The  Enterprise  had  been  captured  by  Arnold  at  St.  Johns ;  the 
Liberty  by  Herrick  at  Skenesborough.  The  other  vessels  were 
built  at  Skenesborough  and  then  taken  to  Ticonderoga  and  Crown 
Point,  where  they  received  their  sails,  military  stores  and  equip- 
ments. 

16 


V 


M 


I 


I.  ■ 


!] 


1^22  LAKE  CnAMPLAIN. 

eight  miles  below  Isle  la  Motte.  It  was  his  first  intention 
to  have  gone  as  far  down  as  IhIo  aux  Totes,  but  finding  that 
island  already  occupied  by  the  British,  ho  anchored  oflf  Wind- 
mill Point,  in  a  line  from  shore  to  shore,  and  he  sent  his  look- 
out-boats about  one  mile  below,  with  orders  to  keep  a  sharp 
eye  upon  the  movements  of  the  enemy. 

On  the  morning  of  the  Gth,  several  boats  were  sent  on  shore 
for  fascines  to  fix  on  the  bows  and  sides  of  the  gondolas,  to 
prevent  the  enemy  from  boarding,  and  to  protect  the 
men  from  the  fire  of  musketry.  One  of  the  boats  reached 
the  shore  before  the  others,  and  was  attacked  by  a  party 
of  Indians  who  occupied  the  adjoining  woods.  Before  the 
men  could  row  ofl^,  three  of  their  number  were  killed  and 
six  wounded.  Arnold  immediately  ordered  his  vessels  to 
discharge  their  broadsides  towards  the  woods,  when  the  In- 
dians precipitately  retreated. i  The  same  morning  the  fleet 
was  reinforced  by  the  arrival  of  the  galley  Lee,  of  six  guns, 
and  the  gondola  Connecticut  of  three  gnns. 

The  noise  of  the  firing  on  the  morning  of  the  Gth  was  dis- 
tinctly heard  at  Crown  Point,  fifty  miles  distant.  Lieuten- 
ant Colonel  Hartly,  the  commanding  officer  there,  immedi- 
ately wrote  to  General  Gates,  at  Ticonderoga,  that  an  engage- 
ment had  undoubtedly  taken  place  between  Arnold  and  the 
enemy.  Gates  sent  the  letter,  by  express,  to  General  Schuyler, 
then  at  Albany,  who  ordered  out  the  Ulster  and  Dutchess 
County,  and  a  portion  of  the  New  England,  militia.  This 
order  was  revoked  on  the  18th,  when  the  true  account  of  the 
affair  reached  Albany.'-^ 

On  the  night  of  the  7th,  the  English  sent  strong  parties 
up  the  river,  and  commenced  preparations  to  erect  batteries 
on  both  sides  of  Arnold's  position.  This  movement  induced 
Arnold  to  retire  as  far  back  as  the  Isle  la  Motte,  where  he 


^Arnold  to  Major  General  Gates,  Sept.  7,  1776. 
^American  Archivet,  fifth  series. 


LAKE  CUAMPLAiy. 


123 


came  to  anchor  about  two  o'clock  on  the  afternoon  of  the 
8th.  There  the  fleet  reiuained  until  the  19th,  when  it  re- 
moved to  ]Jay  St.  Amand,  which  lies  on  the  west  side  of  the 
lake,  a  few  miles  north  of  Cumberland  Head.  As  the  schoon- 
er Liberty  was  on  her  way  to  this  anchorage,  she  was  hailed 
by  a  Canadian,  who  came  down  to  the  water's  edge  and  re- 
quested to  be  taken  on  board.  Captain  Premier  sent  a  boat  to- 
wards the  shore,  with  orders  to  approach  with  caution,  and 
to  keep  her  swivels  pointed  and  the  matches  ready  to  fire  in 
case  everything  was  not  right.  The  man  on  shore  waded 
about  a  rod  into  the  water  and  stopped,  entreating  the  boat's 
crew  to  come  to  him.  Finding  he  could  not  decoy  them  into 
shallow  water,  he  made  a  signal,  when  about  three  hundred 
Canadians  and  Indians,  who  were  secreted  in  the  woods  near 
the  shore,  uncovered  and  fired  into  the  boat,  wounding  three 
of  the  crew.  The  boat  returned  the  fire  with  her  swivels 
and  small  arms,  and  the  schooner  discharged  several  broad, 
sides  of  grape,  when  the  party  retreated,  having  apparently 
suffered  some  loss.i 

While  Arnold  lay  at  Bay  St.  Amand  he  sent  two  boats  to 
sound  the  channel  between  Valcour  Island  and  the  main 
shore,  who  reported  that  they  found  the  anchorage  exceed, 
ingly  fine  and  secure.  To  this  harbor  the  fleet  moved  on 
the  23d  of  September.  A  few  days  afterwards  the  galley 
Trumbull,  Captain  Warner,  arrived,  and  on  the  6th  of  Octo- 
ber, Brigadier  General  WSterbury  came  up  with  the  galleys 
Washington,  Captain  Thacher,  and  Congress,  Captain  Ar- 
nold. The  entire  naval  force  of  the  Americans  was  now  col- 
lected at  Valcour  Island,  with  the  exception  of  an  eight  gun 
galley,  then  receiving  her  armament  at  Ticonderoga,  and  the 
schooner  Liberty,  which  had  been  sent  to  Crown  Point  for 
supplies.  The  fleet  consisted  of  the  sloop  Enterprise  mount- 
ing ten  guns  and  ten  swivels;  the  schooner  lloyal  Savage, 


^Arnold  to  Gates,  Sept.  21,  1770. 


124 


LAKE  CHAM  PL  Am. 


twelve  guns  and  ton  swivels ;  the  schooner  Rovon{»o,  eight 
guns  and  ten  swivels ;  the  galley  Lee,  six  guns  and  ten  swi- 
vels; the  galleys  Trumbull,  Congress  and  Washington,  each 
eight  guns  and  sixteen  swivels;  and  the  gondolas  New 
Haven,  Providence,  Boston,  Spitfire,  Philadelphia,  Connecti- 
cut, Jersey  and  New  York,  each  mounting  three  guns  and 
eight  swivels.  There  were  therefore  fifteen  vessels  in  all, 
mounting  eighty-four  guns  and  one  hundred  and  fifty-two 
swivels.  The  number  of  men  and  sailors  detached  to  serve 
on  these  vessels  was  eight  hundred  and  eleven,  but  of  this 
number  at  least  one  hundred  had  not  yet  joined  the  fleet. 
Arnold  trained  his  men  daily  at  the  guns,  and  used  his 
best  endeavors  to  reduce  them  to  the  proper  discipline,  lie 
however,  complained  frequently  of  their  inefficiency .  "  The 
drafts  from  the  regiments  at  Tioonderoga,"  ho  wiiics  Gen- 
eral  Gates,  "  arc  a  miserable  set ;  indeed  the  men  on  board  the 
fleet  in  general  are  not  equal  to  half  their  number  of  good 
men."  Again  he  says,  "  We  have  a  wretched,  motley  crew  in 
the  fleet ;  the  marines,  the  refuse  of  every  regiment,  and 
the  seamen,  few  of  them  ever  wet  with  salt  water ;  and  we 
are  upwards  of  one  hundred  men  sh.rt  of  our  complement." 
At  this  time,  the  British  naval  fore-  in  the  Richelieu  con- 
sisted of  the  ship  Inflexible,  Lieutenant  Schank,'of  eighteen 
guns ;  The  schooner  Maria,  Lieutenant  Starke,  fourteen 
guns;  schooner  Carleton,  Lieutenant  Dacres,  twelve  guns; 
radeau  Thunderer,  Lieutenant  Scott,  twelve  guns  and  two 
howitzers;  the  gondola  Loyal  Convert,  Lieutenant  Long- 
craft,  seven  guns;  twenty  gun-boats,  mounting  one  gun 
each,  and  four  long-boats,  mounting  one  carriage  gun 
each.i  The  whole  force  was  twenty-nine  vessels,  mounting 
eighty-nine  guns,  and  manned  by  six  hundred  and  ninety- 


>  Letter  of  Captain  Douglass,  of  the  Isis.  The  Inflexible,  Maria 
and  Carleton,  were  brought  from  England  and  reconstructed  at 
St.  Johns. 


I 


LAKE  CIIAMPLAIN. 


125 


Bcvcn  picked  seamen,  besides  a  number  of  soldiers  and  artil- 
lerists. 

The  route  taken  by  vessels  passing  up  the  lake  from 
Canada,  lies  along  and  nearly  pjirallcl  to  the  west  shore  of 
Grand  Isle.  Opposite  Cumberland  Head  the  lake  is  two 
miles  wide,  but  as  soon  as  that  point  is  passed,  it  increases 
in  width  to  five  miles,  and  does  not  again  contract  until  you 
approach  the  mouth  of  the  IJomiuet.  On  the  western  side 
of  the  lake,  about  four  miles  south-west  of  Cumberland 
Head,  and  nearly  two  miles  to  the  right  of  the  track  of  ves- 
sels sailing  directly  up  the  lake,  is  the  island  of  Valcour, 
which  is  separated  from  the  main  shore  by  a  channel  about 
one  half  mile  in  width.  This  channel  is  deep  enough  for 
the  largest  vessels,  and  is  hid  from  the  view  of  boats  sailing 
up  the  lake,  until  they  have  passed  some  distance  south  of 
the  Island.  Midway  of  this  channel,  and  where  it  is  most 
contracted,  Arnold  anchored  his  vessels  in  a  line  extending 
from  shore  to  shore.  "We  are  moored,"  he  writes  to  Gen- 
eral Gates,  "  in  a  small  bay  on  the  west  side  of  the  island, 
as  near  together  as  possible,  and  in  such  form  that  few  ves- 
sels can  attack  us  at  the  same  time,  and  those  will  be  exposed 
to  the  fire  of  the  whole  fleet." 

At  eight  o'clock  on  Friday  morning,  October  11th,  the 
English  were  discovered  passing  Cumberland  Head  with  a 
strong  north  or  north-west  wind,  and  bearing  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Crown  Point,  towards  which  it  was  supposed  Arnold 
had  retired.  The  fleet  at  this  time  was  under  the  command 
of  Capt.  Thomas  Pringlo,  of  the  Lord  Howe,  who  made  the 
schooner  Maria  his  flag  ship.*  General  Carleton  was  also  on 
board  the  Maria,  but  took  no  command  of  the  fleet.  As  the 
English  appeared  in  sight,  off"  Cumberland  Head,  General 
W.aterbury  went  on  board  the  Congress  galley,  and  urged 


1  The  fleet  was  accompanied  by  twenty-four  long-boats  loaded 
with  baggage  and  provisions.  A  small  party  of  Indians  bad  been 
placed  on  board  the  smaller  vessels. 


r 


I 


126  Xiiir.^  CUAMPLAIN. 

that  thoy  should  immcdiatoly  set  sail  and  fight  tho  enemy 
on  tho  retreat  in  tho  broad  luko ;  but  Arnold  declined,  at 
that  lato  hour,  to  change  his  plan  of  defense. 

Capt.  Pringlo  was  some  distance  ahead  of  Valcour  when 
he  first  discovered  tho  Americans.  He  immediately  changed 
his  courso  towards  the  island,  with  a  view  to  engage,  but 
found  great  difficulty  in  bringing  any  of  his  vessels  into 
action.  About  eleven  o'clock,  however,  the  gun  boats  were 
enabled  to  sweep  to  windward  and  take  a  position  to  tho 
south  of  the  American  fleet,  when  they  opened  a  fire  upon 
the  lloyal  Savage,  which,  with  the  galleys,  had  advanced  a 
short  distance  in  front  of  the  line.  The  British  schooner 
Carlfcton  soon  afterwards  came  to  the  assistance  of  the  gun- 
boats. The  lloyal  Savage  sustained  the  fire  of  the  British 
vessels  for  some  time,  and  until  her  mast  was  crippled  and 
much  of  her  rigging  shot  away.  She  then  attempted  to 
return  to  the  line,  but  running  too  far  to  the  leeward,  grounded 
near  the  south-west  point  of  the  island,  and  was  abandoned 
by  her  men,  who  succeeded  in  reaching  the  other  boats  in 
safety.  At  night  the  British  boarded  the  schooner  and  set 
fire  to  her.i 

At  half  past  twelve  o'clock  the  Carleton  and  the  gun-boats 
had  approached  within  musket  shot  of  the  American  line, 
when  the  action  became  general,  and  continued  without 
cessation  until  about  five  in  the  afternoon.  During  the 
engagement  Arnold  was  on  board  the  Congress,  Waterbury 
on  the  Washington,  and  Colonel  Wigglesworth  on  the 
Trumbull.  The  Congress  and  Washington  suffered  severely. 
Tho  latter  was  hulled  in  several  places,  her  main-mast  shot 
through,  and  her  sails  torn  to  pieces.     Waterbury  fought 


1  Arnold's  account  of  tlie  engagement.     The  hull  of  the  schooner 
lies  on  the  spot  where  she  was  sunk,  and  her  upper  timbers  can  yet 
be  seen  during  low  water  in  the  lake.    Arnold's  papers  were  on   ^ 
board  the  schooner  and  were  lost. 


LAKE  C/IA.VrLAfX. 


127 


brnvcly  on  the  quarter  Oeck  of  lils  vcs.«el,  ninl  towards  tho 
cloHO  of  tho  action  was  the  only  active  officer  on  himnl,  the 
captain  and  master  being  severely  wounded,  and  tho  tirst 
lieutenant  killed.  Tho  gondola  New  York  lost  all  her  officers 
except  Captain  Lee,  and  tho  gondola  IMiiladclphia,  Captain 
Grant,  was  so  badly  injured  that  she  sank  about  one  hour 
after  the  engagement,  Arnold  fought  tho  Congress  like  a 
lion  at  bay,  pointing  almost  every  gun  with  his  own  hands, 
and  cheering  his  men  with  voice  and  gesture.  His  vessel 
was  hulled  twelve  time  ,  and  received  seven  shot  between 
wind  and  water ;  tho  main-mast  was  injured  in  two  places, 
the  rigging  cut  to  pieces,  and  many  of  the  men  killed  and 
wounded. 

On  the  side  of  the  English,  the  battle  was  sustained  by 
the  gun-boats  and  the  schooner  Carleton,  and  by  a  party  of 
Indians  who  were  landed  on  the  island  and  main  shore,  and 
who  kept  up  an  incessant  fire  of  musketry  during  the  engage- 
ment. The  English  vessels  suffered  considerab'y.  On 
board  the  Carleton  eight  men  were  killed  and  six  wounded. 
Two  of  the  gun-boats  were  sunk,  and  one  was  blown  up  with 
a  number  of  men  on  board,  i  About  five  o'clock  in  tho 
afternoon.  Captain  Pringle,  who  had  made  several  unsuccessful 
attempts  to  bring  his  larger  vessels  into  action,  called  off 
those  engaged,  and  anchored  his  whole  fleet  just  out  of 
reach  of  the  American  guns.  The  Thunderer  lay  at  the 
right  of  the  line,  a  little  south  of  Garden  Island,'-'  the  schooner 
Maria  on  the  left  near  the  main  shore,  while  the  Loyal 
Convert  and  the  Inflexible  occupied  intermediate  positions. 
The  Carleton  and  gun-boats  were  anchored  near  and  among 
the  other  vessels.     By  this  arrangement.  Captain  Pringle 


•; 

« 

< 


1  Arnold  states  the  loss  sustained   (by  the  blowing  up  of  this 
gun-boat)  at  sixty. — Letter  to  General  Schuyler,  Oct.  15. 

'  This  is  a  small  island  about  GOO  yards  south  of  Valcour. 


i«; 


if 


LAKE  CIIAMPLAIX. 


128 

hoped  to  prcrcut  the  escape  of  the  American  fleet  during 
the  night. 

MAP  OF  BATTLE  AT  VALCOUR  ISLAND. 


REFEnKNCEs.— A,  Aincricnii  Fleet  drawn  acroBB  tlio  Clmniicl.—B,  British 
Oiin-Bonts  and  Schooner  C'nrletoii.— O,  Anchorage  of  HrlliHli  VchbcIs  after  tlio 
Battle.— D,  Point  wh(  re  the  Koyal  Savage  waH  lost.— E,  Cnmberland  Head.— 
F,  Saranac  River.—  O,  Grand  Island.— 11,  Inland  of  North  lloro. 

Arnold  was  well  satisfied  that  he  could  not  successfully 
resist  the  superior  force  with  which  the  English  were  pre- 
pared to  attack  him  on  the  following  morning.  His  men  had 
fought  with  the  most  daring  bravery  and  resolution,  but  ho 
had  only  succeeded  in  retaining  his  position  by  the  di- 
rection of  the  wind,  which  had  prevented  the  larger  vessels 
of  the  British  fleet  from  joining  in  the  action.  Even  under 
equally  favorable  circumstances,  he  could  not  resist  a  re- 
newed attack,  for  his  boats  were  already  badly  crippled,  sixty 
of  his  men,  including  several  officers,  killed  or  wounded, 


<  9 


LAKE!  CHAMPLAIN. 


129 


and  nearly  three-fourths  of  each  vessel's  ammunition  spent. 
A  council  of  war  was  innucdiatcly  called,  when  it  wan  de- 
termined that  the  fleet  should  retire  daring  the  night  towards 
Crowu  Point. 

At  seven  o'e'iock  in  the  evening.  '  Colonel  Wiggles  worth 
got  the  Trumbull  under  way,  and  bearing  around  the  north 
end  of  Valcour,  directed  his  course  towards  the  upper  end 
of  the  lake,  passing  outside  of  the  British  line.  The  Trum- 
bull was  soon  followed  by  the  Enterprise  and  Lee,  with  the 
gondolas ;  and  about  ten  o'clock,  Waterbury  started  in  tho 
Washington  galley,  followed  by  Arnold,  in  the  Congress. 
In  this  order,  with  a  light  at  the  stern  of  each  vessel,  the 
fleet  passed  to  Schuyler  Island,  about  nine  miles  distant, 
where  it  arrived  early  the  next  morning.  On  examination, 
Arnold  found  two  of  the  gondolas  too  badly  injured  to  repair. 
These  he  sank  near  the  island,  and  having  fitted  up  the 
other  vessels  aa  well  as  his  limited  time  and  means  would 
permit,  again  set  sail  for  Crown  Point. 

While  Arnold  was  repairing  his  vessels,  the  British  fleet 
weighed  anchor  and  commenced  beating  up  the  lake  in  pur- 
suit; the  wind  blowing  gently  from  the  south.  Early  on  tho 
morning  of  the  13th,  the  American  fleet  was  off"  the  Bouquet, 
and  the  English  lay  a  little  above  Schuyler  Island.  Arnold 
now  had  the  wind  in  the  south,  while  the  fresh  north-east 
wind,  blowing  in  the  broader  part  of  the  lake,  favored 
the  English  commander,  who  brought  up  liis  leading 
vessels  soon  after  the  former  had  passed  Split  Rock.  On 
this  occasion  Captain  Pringic  led  in  person  in  the  Maria, 
closely  followed  by  the  Inflexible  and  Carleton.  The  Maria 
and  Inflexible  atfirst  attacked  the  Washington  galley,  which 

1  Arnold's  account  of  tho  battle.  Mr.  Cooper,  in  his  Naval  Ilit- 
tory,  erroneously  states  that  Arnold  got  under  way  at  2  o'clock,  p. 
M.  He  also  states  that  the  American  fleet,  on  tho  morning  of  tho 
11th,  "  waa  lying  off  Cumberland  Head,"  and  includes  in  the  fleet 
tho  schooner  Liberty,  which  was  then  at  Crown  Point. 

IT 


-IH 


1* 


J 1 


■I 


130 


LAKE  CHAM  PLAIN. 


wns  too  much  Hliattcrcd  to  keep  up  with  (ho  rest.  TIio  <j;«l- 
loy  Htruck  iif'tor  receiving  u  lew  shots.  The  two  vessels 
then  joined  the  ('iirleton,  and  for  several  liours'  |)()ui'<m1  nn 
incessant  lire  into  the  (\m}j;iess  galley,  wlii(d»  was  hriskly 
returned.  Arnold  kcipt  up  a  running  light  until  he  arrived 
within  ten  miles  of  ('rowu  Point,  wiieu  he  ran  the  (longrcss 
and  four  gondolas  into  a  small  hay,  in  Panton,  on  the  east 
side  of  the  lake,  and  having  removed  the  small  arms,  hurned 
the  vessels  to  the  water's  i-dge.'-  in  lliis  action  tl\e  (Con- 
gress lost  her  lirst  lieutenant  and  three  jiksu. 

As  soon  as  the  boats  were  consumed,  Arnold  led  his  party 
through  the  woods  to  Crown  Point,  where  he  arrived  at  four 
o'clock  the  next  uioriiing.  The  sloop  lOnterprise,  the  schoon- 
er llevengo  aud  the  galley  Trumloill,  with  one  gondola, 
had  reached  that  phice  the  day  hcfore,  in  safety.  The  galley 
]ice,  ('aplain  l>avis,  was  run  intoahay  on  tluMwistside  of  the 
lake  above  Split  Uock,  where  she  was  Mown  up.  'I'he  only 
vessels  taken  by  the  enemy  were  the  Washington  galley  and 
the  gondola  Jersey.  The  loss  of  the  Americans  in  both 
engagements  was  betweeu  eighty  aud  uiuety,  including  the 
wounded.  The  Kngli.sh  stated  their  loss  in  killed  and  wound- 
ed at  I'orty,  but  according  to  the  Auiericau  accounts,  it  must 
have  exceeded  one  liuudretl,  as  at  least  sixty  uien  were  ou 
board  the  gun-boat  which  was  blown  up  on  the  11th. 

luiuiediately  after  the  actiou  of  the  liUh,  Sir  (Juy 
Cnrletoii  gave  orders  for  his  surgetuis  to  treat  the  wounded 
prisoners  with  the  saiue  care  as  they  did  his  own  n>eu.  Ho 
then  directed  all  the  other  prisoners  to  be  brought  on  board 
the  ship,  where  he  treated  them  to  a  drink  of  grog,  praised 
the  bravery  of  their  conduct,  regretted  that  it  had  not  been 


>  Captain  I'ringlo  says  tlio  action  commencod  at  twolvo  and 
lasted  two  hours.  Arnold  says  it  continued  "for  about  five 
glasses." 

'  Sec  Arnold's  and  Pringlo's  account  of  this  engagement  in  Ap- 
pendix. 


I.MxK  CIIAMI'LAIN. 


181 


dinpliiyc'd  in  tlio  Horviw'  oC  \\w\y  liiwl'iil  Hovcroij^n,  !iii(l  ollercd 
to  wwA  Uioiu  lioiiic  fi)  llicir  I'rioinls,  oil  tlioir  f^iviiij;'  thoir 
piinilo  tliiifc  tlitiy  would  not.  !i;^(iiii  l)i?(ir  anus  iij^ain.Ht  (Iroat 
Britain  until  tlicy  sliould  bcexoliangcd.  On  the  I4th,  Cap- 
tain, af'torwards  Sir  James  (!rai<i,  a(;t!oinj)ani(!d  tlic  jtri.soncr.s 
to  Ti(!()nd(!ro;^a,  wlutn;  lio  (limnisstid  tlicni  on  parole.  'I'lio 
{^onorous  manntir  in  wlii(!h  tluty  had  bt'on  troatod  filled  tho 
lirinoiKM's  with  tins  liij^lnvst  ((motions  of  jfratiluflo,  and  (li(!y 
rnturnod  jjrodaiminu;  (lu!  prai.soof'  (Ik;  IJritisIi  ;^(;n(!ral.  Tho 
ftiolini^M  and  s(!ntim(!nts  oxpn^HHcd  l»y  those  ni(!n  wcro  hucIi, 
that  it  was  not  considered  sale  to  allow  them  to  land,  or  tu 
converse  with  the  Anieri(!an  troops.  Tln^y  were  thereforo 
sent  forward  to  SktMiesltoron^h  the  same  nij!;ht.' 

The  humanity  of  (JovM-rnor  Carle  ton's  (ton  rse  was  somewhat 
tincture<l  with  |)oliey.  lie  well  knew  the  j^reat  dissatisfac- 
tion which  had  prevailed  amon^  the  American  troops,  and 
with  a  profound  saji;aeity,  that  distinguished  his  whole 
administration,  took  advantaf;;e  of  evisry  opportunity  to  direct 
this  feeliiif^  into  a  channel  favorable  to  the  British  cause,  and 
to  impress  upon  the  minds  of  the  half  clothed  and  destitute 
troops,  a  high  opinion  of  the  generosity,  kindncssand  liberality 
of  their  opponents. 

Although  the  results  of  tho  two  engagements  of  the  11th 
and  liUh  had  been  so  disastrous,  yet  the  Americans  gained 
great  credit  for  the  obstinacy  of  their  nssi-stance.  Kvcn 
the  English  acknowledged  tliat  no  man  ever  manoeuvred 
with  more  dexterity,  fought  with  more  bravery  or  retreated 
with  more  firmness,  tlian  Arnold  did  on  both  of  these  occa- 
sions. Huch  gallantry  converted  the  disasters  of  defeat  into 
a  species  of  triumph.  Several  American  officers,  however, 
were  found  ready  to  censure  Arnold,  whom  they  called  "our 
evil  genius  to  the  north,'-"  but  General  Gates,  who  undcr- 


'  Trnuihuir»  NmiiniKCincin  nf  hix  oim  Tiimn. 
*  General  Maxwell  to  Governor  Livingston. 


I 


(M 


I 


u 


Wn 


132 


LAKE  CUAMPLAIN. 


stood  perfectly  all  the  details  of  the  affair,  always  speaks  of 
him  in  the  highest  terms  of  praise.  "  It  would  have  been 
hiippy  for  the  United  States,"  he  writes  to  Governor 
Trumbull,  "  had  the  gallant  behavior  and  steady  good  con- 
duet  of  that  excellent  officer  been  supported  by  a  fleet  in 
any  way  equal  to  the  enemy's.  As  the  case  stands,  though 
they  boast  a  victory,  they  must  respect  the  vanquished." 

On  the  14th  of  October  the  works  at  Crown  Point  were 
destroyed  and  the  troops  and  military  stores  removed  to 
Ticonderoga.  As  soon  as  the  Americans  left,  Carleton 
landed  his  army  and  occupied  the  shores  on  both  sides  of 
the  lake.  It  had  been  his  intention  to  inarch  immediately 
against  Ticonderoga,  but  on  the  15th  the  wind  commenced 
blowing  so  hard  from  tire  south  that,  for  eight  days,  the 
English  vessels  could  not  sail  up  the  lake.  This  delay  was 
of  great  importance  to  the  Americans,  as  it  afforded  them 
time  to  receive  reinforcements  of  militia  and  to  prepare  for 
a  vigorous  defense.  In  that  short  interval  they  made 
carriages  for,  anti  mounted  forty-seven  pieces  of  cannon ; 
they  also  surrounded  the  works  with  a  strong  abattis. 
General  Gates  had  about  twelve  thousand  men  under  his 
command,  all  of  whom  were  desirous  of  an  opportunity  to 
display  their  prowess  before  the  enemy. 

General  Carleton,  finding  he  could  not  advance  immedi- 
ately, proceeded  to  establish  himself  at  Crown  Point,  and  to 
repair  the  fort  at  that  place.  He  also  occupied  Chimney 
Point  with  a  portion  of  his  army,  and  placed  three  of  his 
largest  vessels  at  anchor  near  Putnam's  Point,  a  little  below 
which  the  light  infantry,  grenadiers,  and  a  body  of  Cana- 
dians and  Indians  were  encamped.  Reconnoitering  parties 
filled  the  woods  in  every  direction,  and  frequently  penetrated 
as  far  south  as  Lake  George,  where  one  or  two  slight 
skirmishes  occurred  with  straggling  parties  of  the  militia, 
who  were  passing  from  Fort  Georp'^  to  Ticonderoga.  Boats 
were  also  sent  to  sound  the  channel  of  the  lake  above  Crown 


«  I 


I 


LAKE  CUAMPLAIN. 


133 


I'oiiit.  On  one  occasion,  one  of  these  boats  approached 
within  .shot  of  the  lower  battery  of  Ticonderoga,  when  it  was 
fired  into,  and  two  men  killed  and  one  wounded. 

On  Monday,  the  27th  of  October,  between  eight  and  nine 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  the  advance  guard-boat  lying  below 
Ticondcroga,  made  signal  that  the  English  fleet  was  approach- 
ing, and  about  an  hour  afterwards,  five  of  their  largest 
transport  boats  appeared  in  sight  of  the  fort,  and  landed  a 
number  of  troops  upon  Three  Mile  Point.  Soon  afterwards, 
two  armed  boats  stood  over  to  the  east  side  of  the  lake  and 
appeared  to  be  reconnoitering.  As  soon  as  they  approached 
near  enough,  they  were  fired  upon  from  the  lower  battery, 
and  from  a  row-galley  stationed  near  by,  when  they  retired. 
In  the  meantime  other  British  trqops  were  landed  upon  the 
point,  and  a  body  of  men  were  sent  across  the  lake  into  a 
small  bay  about  four  miles  below  the  works. 

As  these  movements  indicated  an  attack  upon  Ticondcroga, 
General  Gates  ordered  the  lines  and  redoubts  to  be  manned, 
and  brought  three  regiments  from  Mt.  Independence  to 
reinforce  those  on  the  western  side.  "Lathing,"  he  says, 
"  could  exceed  the  spirit  and  alertness  which  was  shown  by 
all  the  officers  and  soldiers  in  executing  every  order  that 
was  given."  The  display  made  on  this  occasion  convinced 
Carleton  that  Gates's  means  of  defense  were  sufficient  to 
resist  an  assault.  At  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  he 
withdrew  his  forces  and  returned  to  Crown  Point,  where 
he  made  immediate  preparations  to  retire  into  winter  quarters, 
in  Canada.  The  rear-guard  of  the  English  army  left 
Crown  Point  on  the  morning  of  the  3d  of  November,  and  the 
place  was  on  the  same  day  occupied  by  a  detachment  sent  for- 
ward from  Ticondcroga.  As  soon  as  it  was  ascertained  thai 
the  English  had  retired  to  Canada,  Gates  dismissed  the  militia 
and  soon  afterwards  left  with  the  greater  part  of  the  regular 
troops  to  join  Washington,  who  was  then  in  New  Jersey. 


■■ 


l;;  f 


CHAPTER  viir. 


<l 


It*?— 1783,—  Burgoync  invndes  the  United  Slates  —  Evacnntion  of  Ticonderoga 
by  General  St.  Clair  —  Ualtlo  of  Ilubbnrdton  —  Surprise  and  Indi^jnatiou  of  tlio 
People  — Vindication  of  St.  Clair  and  Schuyler  —  Lincoln's  Expedition 
aj^iiinst  Ticonderoga  —  Surrender  of  Burj,'oyue  — Ketreat  to  Canada— Opera- 
tions on  Lake  Cliamplnin  from  1783  to  1778. 

The  Bi'ili.sh  ministry  still  adhered  to  the  scheme  of  opening 
a  communication  between  Canada  and  the  city  of  New  York, 
by  way  of  Lake  Champlain.  This  project  liad  acquired 
new  favor  at  the  English  court  from  the  representations 
and  sanjiuine  promises  of  General  Ihirgoyne,  who  had 
vis. led  England  in  the  winter  of  177G- 7,  and  urged  upon 
the  government  its  importance,  and  the  certainty  of  its 
success.  Dissatisfied,  without  just  cause,  with  the  proceedings 
of  Governor  Carleton,  the  ministry  formed  their  arrange- 
ments for  the  new  campaign  without  his  counsel  or  advice, 
ftud  assigned  to  General  Burgoyne  the  command  of  the 
army  in  Canada,  and  the  direction  of  all  its  operations. 

The  regular  force  allotted  to  Burgoyne  numbered  seven 
thousand  one  hundred  and  thirteen  men,  among  whom  were 
three  thousand  two  hundred  and  seventeen  Brunswick  troops, 
commonly  known  as  Hessians.  A  large  and  complete  train 
of  brass  artillery  was  sent  to  Canada,  together  with  a  full 
supply  of  arms,  ammunition  and  military  accoutrements  of 
every  description.  Major  General  Philips,  and  Brigadier 
Generals  Eraser,  Powell  and  Hamilton  served  under  Bur- 
goyne. The  Brunswick  troops  were  commanded  by  Major 
General  Riedesel  and  Brigadier  General  Specht. 

Burgoyne  arrrived  at  Quebec  in  the  month  of  May,  1777, 
and  immediately  commenced  preparations  for  the  prosecution 


' 


LAKE  CIIAMPLAIN. 


135 


of  the  campain;n.  Two  tliousand  Canadians  were  employed 
upon  the  fortifications  at  Sorcl,  Chanibly,  St.  Johns  :ind 
Isle  aux  Noix,  and  boats  were  constructed  on  the  Richelieu, 
for  the  conveyance  of  the  troops  and  sujiplies  through  the 
lake. 

To  favor  the  oppcrations  of  :.,carmy,  Col.  St.  Leger  was 
sent  against  the  American  posts  on  the  3Iohawk  Kivcr,  with 
a  force  of  about  eight  hundred  men,  and  a  large  body  of  In- 
dians under  Sir  John  Johnson.  St.  Leger  was  to  proceed  by 
the  way  of  Oswego,  and  having  reduced  the  posts  on  that 
route,  was  to  rejoin  the  main  army  at  Albany. 

Early  in  the  month  of  June,  the  army  left  St.  Johns  in 
boats,  and  after  several  delays  occasioned  by  contrary  winds, 
reached  Cumberland  Head,  where  it  halted  to  await  the 
arrival  of  the  ammunition  and  stores.  The  naval  part  of 
the  expedition  was  under  the  command  of  Captain  Lutwidge, 
and  consisted  of  the  armed  vessels  built  during  the  preced- 
ing year.  Seven  hundred  carts  were  brought  on  with  the 
army,  to  be  used  in  transporting  baggage  and  provisions 
across  the  portages  between  the  lakes  and  the  Hudson  River, 
and  fifteen  hundred  Canadian  horses  were  sent  by  land  up 
the  west  side  of  the  lake  under  a  strong  escort. 

As  soon  as  the  supplies  arrived,  Burgoyne  left  Cumber- 
land Head  and  advanced  as  far  as  the  Bouquet  River,  where 
he  again  halted.  He  was  there  joined  by  four  hundred  Iro- 
quois, Algonquin,  Abenaquis  and  Ottawa  Indians  .0  whom 
he  gave  a  war-feast  on  the  21st  of  .Tune,  f.t  '..eir  encamp- 
ment near  the  falls  of  the  Bouquet.  On  this  occasion  he  made 
a  speech  to  the  assembled  Indians,  in  which  he  humanely 
endeavored  to  soften  their  ferocity  and  restrain  their  thirst 
for  blood.  He  spoke  of  the  abused  clemency  of  the  king 
towards  the  colonies,  and  explained  to  them  that  the  present 
war  was  carried  on  against  a  country  where  the  faithful  were 
intermixed  with  rebels,  and  traitors  with  friends.  He  releas- 
ed them  from  restraint,  but  cautioned  them  not  to  violate 


I 


ii 


i 


W^l  :. 


t  ■ 


s 


186 


LAKE  CUAMPLAIN. 


the  rules  of  civilized  warfare  or  disregard  the  dictates  of 
religion  and  humanity.  "  Be  it  our  task,"  he  said,  "  from 
the  dictates  of  our  religion,  the  laws  of  our  warfare,  and 
the  principles  and  interest  of  our  policy,  to  regulate  your  pas- 
sions when  you  overbear,  to  point  out  where  it  is  nobler  to 
spare  than  to  revenge,  to  discriminate  degrees  of  guilt,  to 
suspend  the  uplifted  stroke,  to  chastise,  and  not  destroy."  He 
then  called  their  attention  to  the  rules  which  they  should 
observe  during  the  campaign.  "  I  positively  forbid  blood- 
shed where  you  are  not  opposed  in  arms.  Aged  men  and 
women,  children  and  prisoners  must  be  held  sacred  from 
the  knife  or  hatchet,  even  in  the  time  of  actual  conflict. 
You  shall  receive  compensation  for  the  prisoners  you  take, 
but  you  shall  be  called  to  account  for  the  scalps."  The 
Indians  pledged  obedience  to  his  orders,  and  Burgoyne  had 
the  credulity  to  believe  them.  Little  did  he  understand 
the  unappeasable  appetite  for  blood  of  those  by  whom  these 
fine  promises  were  made. 

While  the  English  were  slowly  approaching  Ticonderoga, 
the  Americans  were  busily  engaged  in  strengthening  its  de- 
fenses. The  northern  department,  including  Albany,  Ticon- 
deroga, Fort  Stanwix  and  their  dependencies,  was  now  under 
the  charge  of  Major  General  Schuyler,  while  the  immediate 
command  of  the  works  on  Lake  Champlain  was  confided  to 
Major  General  St.  Clair,  an  officer  of  great  military  expe- 
rience and  reputation. 1     Both  generals  were  advised  of  the 


1  Arthur  St.  Clair  was  a  soldier  from  his  youth.  At  an  early  age, 
while  the  independent  states  were  yet  British  colonies,  he  entered 
the  Royal  American  army,  and  was  commissioned  as  an  ensign.  He 
was  actively  engaged,  during  the  French  war,  in  the  army  of  Gen- 
eral Wolfe,  and  was  carrying  a  pair  of  colors  in  the  battle  in  which 
that  celebrated  commander  was  slain,  on  the  Plains  of  Abraham. 
He  was  highly  esteemed  by  the  distinguished  commanders  under 
whom  he  served,  as  a  young  officer  of  merit,  capable  of  obtaining 
a  high  grade  of  military  reputation.  After  the  peace  of  '63,  he 
sold  out  and  entered  into  trade,  for  which  the  generosity  of  his 


LAKE  fllAMPLAiy. 


187 


plans  of  the  IJi-itinh  jrnvorrinitMit  for  tho  present  oanipaiirn, 
and  used  every  exertion  to  prevent  its  success.  Tlie  old 
French  lines,  to  the  west  of  the  fort,  had  been  repaired  and 
were  <j;uar(lcd  by  a  strong  block-house ;  an  outpost  was  estab- 
lished at  the  saw-mills  on  the  falls  of  the  outlet,  and  another 
just  above  that  point,  and  a  block-house  and  hospital  were 
erected  at  the  foot  of  Jiake  Gcorjie.  Redoubts  and  batteries 
were  established  upon  tho  low  lands  below  the  fort,  and  the 
extreme  left  was  protected  by  a  small  fort  on  3Iount  Hope, 
an  eminence  about  half  u  mile  in  advance  of  the  old  Frcach 
lines. 

A  star-fort,  in  the  centre  of  which  was  a  convenient 
square  of  barracks,  had  been  built  on  the  summit  of  Mount 
IndependcMicc,  which  was  well  supplied  with  artillery, 
strongly  picketed,  and  its  approaches  guarded  with  batteries. 
The  foot  of  the  hill,  towards  the  lake,  was  protected  by  a 
breastwork  which  had  been  strengthened  by  an  abattis,  and 
by  a  strong  battery  standing  on  the  shore  of  the  lake  near 
tho  mouth  of  East  Creek.  A  floating  bridge  connected  tho 
works  of  Mount  Independence  and  Ticondcroga,  and  served 
as  an  obstruction  to  the  passage  of  vessels  up  the  lake. 
This  bridge  was  cupported  on  twenty-two  sunken  piers,  form- 
ed of  very  large  timber ;  the  spaces  between  the  piers  were 
filled  with  floats,  each  about  fifty  feet  long  and  twelve  feet 
wide,  strongly  fastened  together  with  iron  chains  and  rivets. 
A  boom  made  of  large  pieces  of  timber,  well  secured  together 


natuvc  utterly  disqualified  him :  he  soon  became  disgusted  with  a 
profitless  pursuit,  and  having  married,  after  several  vicissitudes  of 
fortune,  he  located  himself  in  Ligonier  valley,  west  of  the  Alleghany 
mountains,  and  near  the  old  route  from  Philadelphia.  In  this 
situation  tho  American  revolution  found  him.  surrounded  by  a 
rising  family,  iii  the  enjoyment  of  ease  and  independence,  with 
the  fairest  prospects  of  affluent  fortune,  the  foundation  of  which 
had  been  already  established  by  his  iutelligonce,  industry  and 
enterprise. 

18 


i 


I 


!    ^ 


J 


A. 


«     »■: 


138  LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 

by  rivotcil  bolts,  was  placed  on  tlio  north  sitlc  of  tlio  bridj^c, 
and  by  the  side  of  this  was  a  double  iron  chain,  the  links  of 
which  were  one  and  a  half  Inches  H(juarc.' 

Opposite  Mount  Independence  is  the  lofty  eminence  of 
Mount  Defiance,  which  rises  abruptly  from  the  water  to  tho 
height  of  about  seven  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  and  is  separated 
from  Ticonderoga  by  the  mouth  of  the  outlet  of  Lake 
George.  The  American  works  furnied  an  extensive  cres- 
cent, of  which  this  eminence  was  tho  centre.  The  entire 
linos  required  at  least  ten  thousand  men  and  one  hundred 
pieces  of  artillery,  for  its  defense.  But  at  the  time  of 
IJurgoyne's  approach,  8t.  (!hiir's  whole  force  did  not  exceed 
two  thousand  five  hundred  and  fifty-six  continental  troops 
and  nine  hundred  militia;  the  latter  badly  equipped,  worse 
armed,  and  most  of  them  raw  and  undisciplined.  They 
however,  were  zealous  and  determined,  and  were  ready  to 
oppose  any  force  that  might  be  brought  against  them. 

The  works  about  Ticonderoga  were,  by  many,  considered 
impregnable ;  but  in  fact  they  were  weak  and  untenable,  for 
every  position,  whether  at  the  old  French  lines,  at  the  fort 
or  on  Mount  Independence,  was  commanded  by  the  sum- 
mit of  Mount  Defiance,  which  had  hitherto  been  neglect- 
ed by  the  engineers  of  all  parties.  In  1776,  Colonel  John 
Trumbull,  adjutant  general  under  Gates,  made  several  ex- 
periments which  proved  tho  controlling  position  of  the  emi- 
nence, and  he  afterwards,  in  company  with  General  Arnold, 
Colonel  Wayne  and  others,  ascended  its  rocky  sides.  *'  The 
ascent "  says  Trumbull, "  was  difficult  and  laborious,  but 
not  impracticable,  and  when  we  looked  down  upon  the  outlet 
of  Lake  George,  it  was  obvious  to  all  that  there  could  be  no 
difficulty  in  driving  up  a  loaded  carriage. 

While  Ticonderoga  was  thus  poorly  garrisoned  and  its 
defenses  exposed,  Burgoyne  was  moving  against  it  at  the 


'  Tbaoher's  Military  Journal. 


LAKE  CHAM  PLAIN 


180 


head  of  a  well  (lisciplincd  army,  nunibcrinp;  seven  thousanil 
nine  hundreil  nicii.  On  the  ;]()th  of  June,  tlio  whole  force 
reached  (.'rown  Point,  where  the  Knjjiish  <;eneral  lialted  to 
isHUO  a  j»rot'Ianiati(»n,  l»y  which  ho  expected  to  iiitiniidato 
the  patriot:i  and  to  strengthen  the  hopes  of  the  disaffected. 
In  this  paper  he  extolled  the  stren<:th  and  number  of  tho 
British  forces,  and  portrayed,  in  vivitl  lanj^uaj^e,  the  horrors 
which  would  result  from  an  opposition  to  their  arms.  He 
offered  encourajfcment  and  employment  to  those  who  should 
assist  the  kin<;  in  redccmin*^  tlie  colonies,  and  restorinj^  to 
them  "  the  blessings  of  British  liberty,"  while  against  those 
who  sliould  disregard  his  offers  of  mercy  and  forgiveness,  ho 
threatened  the  merciless  vengeance  of  the  whole  Indian 
force  under  his  command.  Of  the  patriots,  he  says,  "Tho 
messengers  of  justice  and  of  wrath  await  them  in  the  field; 
and  devastation,  and  famine,  and  every  concomitant  horror 
that  a  reluctant  but  indispensable  prosecution  of  military 
duty  must  occasion,  will  bar  the  way  to  their  return."  Theso 
thundering  anathemas  were  received,  in  every  quarter,  with 
derision  and  ridicule.  Their  only  effect  was  to  call  forth  a 
reply,  written  by  a  young  officer,  which  created  much  amuse- 
ment in  the  ranks  of  the  American  army,  by  its  admirable 
imitation  of  the  pompous  style  of  the  proclamation. 

Burgoyne's  army  moved  from  Crown  Point  on  the  1st  of 
July,  in  three  divisions;  the  Germans  under  Riedcsel,  tak- 
ing position  on  the  east  shore  of  the  lake,  at  Richardson's 
opposite  Putnam  Creek;  the  right  wing  under  Fraser, 
advanced  as  fur  as  Three  Mile  Creek;  and  the  centre,  com- 
manded by  Burgoyne  in  person,  moved  up  the  lake  in 
transports,  accompanied  by  the  ships  Royal  George  and  In- 
flexible, and  anchored  in  a  position  just  out  of  reach  of  the 
American  guns.  The  following  day,  a  party  of  Indians 
approached  the  outposts  at  Lake  George,  and  were  soon 
followed  by  a  large  detachment  under  Major  General  Phil- 
lips.   On  the  approach  of  this  column,  the  Americans  evacu- 


f 


I 


i ! 


A 


; 


140 


LAKK  (IIAMI'I.AIS. 


iitcd  ami  luiriiod  tlio  Mock-lioiiHOM,  and  iibandnniii^  tin;  hhw- 
iiiills,  r('lir(Ml  witiiiii  IIk!  liiuis.  In  tlio  niniv<(!  of  lint  ni;;lit 
(iitnitral  I'liillipM  tixtk  posMi'MHiitn  of  Monnt.  Ilu|ii\,  wIi'm-Ii  tliu 
noxt  inorninj;  was  occnpiod  in  rurcn  liy  |''rasi!r'H  ri)r|iH, 
('<in.siHlin;^  \\\i  \\w  Lst  Hritisli  In'i^adu  an«l  two  hrii^adcs  of 
artilli'ry.  I'liillipn  now  ludd  tho  ^ronnd  west  of  IMiMitifc 
Hope,  and  Krascr's  camp  iit  Tlinui  MiK;  (Jrcck  was  {H'x>\\. 
pied  by  a  body  of  ni<>n  drawn  IVoni  tin;  (tjipuMito  Hid(!  of  tlio 
lake.  Tlio  column  umbT  KiiMJcsol  was  piisluMl  j'oiward  as 
far  UH  KttHt  (!rcok,  from  wliifli  it  could  oasily  stretch  behind 
3I()unt  Independence. 

During  all  these  movements  the  American  troops  kept  up 
II  warm  fire  a<^alnst  Mount  Mope,  and  nuainst  IliiMhiscl'rt 
column,  but  without  eil'cct.  On  (he  Uli,  the  British  were 
eujployed  in  brinj^inj^  up  their  artill(>ry,  tcints,  haji^'aj^t!  and 
provisions,  while  tlu!  Americans,  at  intervals,  conlinncd  the 
cannonade.  Tins  same  evening  the  ra(h;an  Thunderer  arrived 
from  (Vown  Point  with  the  battering  train. 

The  JJritish  line  n»»w  encircled  the  American  works  on  the 
north,  eiist  and  west.  The  posses.sion  of  Mount  Defiance 
would  eomjdete  the  investment,  and  ellectually  control  tho 
water  communication  in  tho  direction  ol'  Skenesborough. 
Kurgoyne's  attention  had,  from  the  first,  been  attracted  to- 
wards this  eminence,  and  he  had  directed  Lieut.  Twiss,  his 
chief  engineer,  to  ascertain  whether  its  summit  was  accessi- 
ble. On  tho  4th,  Lieutenant  Twiss  reported  that  Mount 
])efiance  held  the  (jntire  command  <d'  Ticonderoga  and  3It. 
Independence,  at  tho  distance  of  about  fourteen  hundred 
yards  from  tho  former,  and  fifteen  hundred  yanls  from  the 
latter,  and  that  a  practicable  road  could  be  made  to  the  sum- 
mit in  twenty-four  hours.  On  receiving  this  report,  Hur- 
goyne  ordered  the  road  to  bo  opened  and  a  battery  constructed 
for  light  twenty-four  pounders,  medium  twelves  and  eight- 
inch  howitzers.     This  arduous  task  was  pushed  with  such 


I.AKH  C//AMfLMy. 


141 


at'tivily,  •hat  <ImiiiLr  (.lio  xiH'<'ci'(lii|M  iii';lit,  tliii  road  "•..,•«  ckiu- 
|il(<t<;il,  ami  ui^lit  p'uiiui.s  of  uaiiuoii  wuro  (JiM<^^uil  tu  thu  top 
uI'iIk!  hill. 

Oil  thu  inoriiiii)^  III' Ihu  Tjtli,  thu  Hiiiniuit  of  Muiiiit  IhtTiaiicu 
glowed  with  m;arli-t  iiniroriiH,  and  thu  giliiH  of  its  hattt-riuH 
hIoihI  thriMlciiiiii^ly  over  thu  Anifiicaii  IoiIh.  "Itiswith  as- 
toiiixhiiii'iil,"  ,sa)s  Doclur  Thatdicr  in  hi.s  Mi/ifun/  Ji)iiinnf, 
"  that  \vi!  liiid  ihr  uiifiiiy  havu  taken  poHHU.ssioii  of  an  uiiii- 
iiuiK'c  calli  d  Sn;;ar-loar  Hill  or  Mount  Duiianci',  whi(di,  tVum 
its  hci;;;lit  and  proxiinity,  (loinplutuly  ovurlookH  and  coniinaiidH 
all  onr  works.  Tin;  sitnalioii  oi'  oiir  f^arrison  is  viuvvud  an 
critical  and  alarinin;^';  a  I'uw  days  will  ihtfiilu  onr  I'atu.  Wu 
havu  r(!ason  to  apiindicnd  thu  most  tal.-tl  uil'ccts  i'roin  tln^ir 
battery  on  Snj^ar-loaf  Hill."  (ninural  St.  Clair  iniiiKidiatcdy 
called  a  conncil  ol"  war,  hy  whom  it  was  decided  to  uva(!»ato 
thu  works,  hel'ore  lliedesel  should  hlouk  up  thu  narrow 
pas.sa^ru  south  of  Kast  (/I'uuk,  whicdi  with  thu  laku  to  Skeiius- 
|i(iron;;li  presented  thu  only  possildu  way  ol'  usitape. 

The  decision  ol'  the  council  was  concealed  i'roin  the  troops 
until  till!  evi^nin;^  order  was  ;^iveii.  About  twelve  o'clock 
at  niiiht,  directions  were  issued  to  placu  the  sick  and  wound- 
ed and  thu  women  on  board  two  hundred  lonj^-boats,  which 
liad  been  collected  I'or  this  purpose.  The  boats  wuru  then 
loaded  deep  with  cannon,  tents  and  provisions,  and  at  threo 
o'clock  in  the  morniii}^  started  lor  »Skencsborou;^li,  accoui- 
paiiii.'d  by  five  armed  {^alloys  and  a  ^.^uard  of  six  hundrud 
inun,  under  command  of  (!olonel  Lon^r,  of  the  New  llainp- 
Hliire  troojjs.  The  boats  reached  Skenusburou^h  about  three 
o'clock  on  the  afternoon  of  tin;  same  day,  where  the  fuj^itivcs 
landed  to  enjoy,  as  they  fancied,  a  temporary  reposu;  but  in 
less  than  two  hours  they  were  startled  by  the  reports  of  the 
cannon  of  the  JJritish  j^un-boats,  which  were  iirinj;  at  the 
galleys  lying  at  the  wharf.  IJy  uncommon  elbjrt  and  indu.s* 
try,  JJurgoync  had  broken  through  the  chain,  boom  and 
bridge  at  Ticonderoga,  antl  had  followed  in  pursuit  with  the 


> 


¥: 


f: 


142 


LAKE  CIIAMPLAIN. 


lloyal  George  and  Inflexible,  and  a  detachment  of  the  gun- 
boats under  Captain  Carter.  The  pursuit  had  been  pressed 
with  such  vigor  that,  at  the  very  moment  when  the  Ameri- 
cans were  landing  at  Skenesborough,  three  regiments  disem- 
barked at  the  head  of  South  33ay,  with  the  intention  of 
occupying  the  road  to  Fort  Edward.  Had  Burgoyne  delayed 
the  attack  upon  the  galleys  until  these  regiments  had  reached 
the  Fort  Edward  road,  the  whole  party  at  Skenesborough 
would  have  been  taken  prisoners.  Alarmed  however,  by  the 
approach  of  the  gun-boats,  the  Americans  blew  up  three  of 
the  galleys,  set  fire  to  the  fort,  mill  and  store -house,  and 
retired  in  great  confusion  towards  Fort  Atn.  Occasionally 
the  overburdened  party  would  falter  on  their  retreat,  when 
the  startling  cry  of  "  March  on,  the  Indians  are  at  our  heels," 
would  revive  their  drooping  energies,  and  give  new  strength 
to  their  weakened  limbs.  At  five  o'clock  in  the  morning 
they  reached  Fort  Ann,  where  they  were  joined  by  many  of 
the  invalids  who  had  been  carried  up  Wood  Creek  in  boats. 
A  number  of  the  sick,  with  the  cannon,  provisions  and  most 
of  the  baggage  were  left  behind  at  Skenesborough. 

On  the  7th,  a  small  reinforcement  sent  from  Fort  Edward 
by  Schuyler,  arrived  at  Fort  Ann.  About  the  same  time  a 
detachment  of  British  troops  approached  within  sight  of  the 
fort.  This  detachment  was  attacked  from  the  fort,  and  re- 
pulsed with  some  loss;  a  surgeon,  a  wounded  captain  and 
twelve  privates  were  taken  prisoners  by  the  Americans.  The 
next  day  Fort  Ann  was  burned,  and  the  garrison  retreated 
to  Fort  Edward,  which  was  then  occupied  by  General 
Schuyler. 

As  soon  as  Colonel  Long  had  started  for  Skenesborough, 
St.  Clair  with  the  main  army  retired  by  land  towards  Castle- 
ton.  The  garrison  of  Ticonderoga  crossed  the  bridge  about 
three  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  at  four  o'clock  the  rear 
guard,  under  Colonel  Francis,  left  Mount  Independence. 
Up  to  this  time  a  continued  cannonade  from  one  of  the  bat- 


LAKE  CUAMPLAIN. 


143 


terics  was  kept  up  in  the  ilirection  of  Mount  Hope,  in  order 
to  allay  any  suspicions  of  the  movement  on  the  part  of  the 
enemy.  The  whole  army  would  have  departed  unobserved, 
had  not  General  I)e  Fermoy,  who  commanded  on  Mount  In- 
dependence, foolishly  and  regardless  of  express  orders,  set 
fire  to  the  house  he  had  occupied.  The  light  of  this  confla- 
gration revealed  the  whole  scene  to  the  British,  and  at  the 
same  time  threw  the  Americans  into  great  disorder;  many  of 
them  now  pushing  forward  without  any  regard  to  discipline 
or  regularity.  At  Ilubbardton  the  stragglers  were  collected 
and  the  ranks  again  organized.  After  a  halt  of  two  hours  at, 
this  place,  the  main  army  proceeded  toward  Castleton,  leav- 
ing Colonr'^.  Frai.cls,  Warner  and  Ilale  behind  with  a  rear- 
guard of abj.ii  tliirteeii  hunlied  men. 

As  soon  as  the  retreat  frcm  Ticonderoga  was  discovered 
by  the  British,  General  Fraser  started  in  pursuit  with  his 
brigade,  and  was  soon  followed  by  Kiedescl.  The  liritish 
troops  continued  the  pursuit  during  the  day,  and  at  night 
lay  on  their  arms  near  the  position  occupied  by  the  American 
rear-guard,  at  Ilubbardton.  Early  on  the  following  morn- 
ing, Fraser,  with  eight  hundred  men,  advanced  to  the  as- 
sault without  waiting  for  the  arrival  of  Kiedescl,  who  was 
approaching  with  his  column.  On  the  appearance  of  Fraser's 
corps  Colonel  Hale  fled  with  his  regiment  towards  Castleton, 
leaving  Colonels  Francis  and  Warner,  with  seven  hundred 
men,  to  resist  the  attack. 

The  battle  betweeif  the  two  parties  was  severe  and  bloody, 
and  atone  time  the  British  grenadiers  recoiled  before  the 
galling  fire  of  Francis's  and  Warner's  men,  but  lliedesel 
coming  up  at  that  moment,  the  grenadiers  rallied,  and  sus- 
tained by  the  whole  British  line,  returned  to  the  charge  with 
fixed  bayonets.  The  American  troops  now  broke  and  fled 
in  every  direction.  In  this  action  the  Americans  lost  three 
hundred  and  twenty  four  men,  in  killqd,  wounded  and  pri- 


)  1  »■ 


144 


LAKE  VIIAMPLAiN. 


\      ' 


soncrs.  Among  the  killoJ  was  the  ganiint  (loloiiol  Francis 
who  foil  at  the  head  of  his  rogiinciit.  On  the  part  of  the 
English  the  loss  was  one  hundred  and  eighty-three,  includ- 
ing 3Iajor  Pratt  and  about  twenty  inferior  oHicers.  Hale, 
who  retired  so  itrpilciiitely  in  tiie  niorninu:,  was  intercepted 
on  the  road  to  CastleloM,  and  surrendered  without  firing  a 
sliot.  St.  (Mair,  as  soon  as  lie  had  been  joined  hy  the  rem- 
nant of  Warner's  men,  retreated  to  Fort  Edward,  where  ho 
arrived  on  Ihi;  llith  of  duly. 

The  loss  to  tiie  Americans,  by  the  evacuation  of  Ticondc- 
roga,  Wiis  very  geit;  no  less  than  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
eight  ])ie('es  ol'  cannon,  together  with  all  the  boats,  pro- 
visions, stores  and  magazines  were  either  destroyed  or  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  IJritish.  Among  the  trophies  of  the 
day  w.Htlio  continental  standard,  which  the  Americans  had 
neglected  to  take  with  them  on  their  retreat. 

The  evacuation  of  Ticoniloroga  and  iMount  Indepcndenco 
was  condemned  throughout  the  country.  The  people  were 
not  ]>rcpared  for  so  disastrous  un  event,  for  it  was  generally 
believed  that  the  works  on  Lake  Champlain  were  in  a  condi- 
tion to  resist  any  attack  of  the  eneniy.  IJoth  Schuyler  and 
St.  Clair  were  severely  and  unjustly  censured  ;  the  former 
for  not  sending  on  reinforcements,  when  he  had  none  to  send, 
and  the  latter  for  omitting  to  fortify  Mount  Hope  and  Mount 
Defiance,  when  his  whole  force  was  insufficient  to  man  the 
defenses  of  the  forts  themselves.  That  a  great  error  was 
committed,  in  relying  too  much  upon  the  supposed  strength 
of  the  positions  at  Ticonderoga,  cannot  be  denied,  but  there 
were  no  just  grounds  for  attaching  blame  to  either  of  the 
officers  in  command. 

The  attention  of  the  government  had  been  directed  to  the 
exposed  situation  of  this  post,  and  St.  Clair  had  repeatedly 
called  for  more  tioops  for  its  defense.  As  late  as  the  25th 
of  June,  he  addressed  a  letter  to  General  Schuyler,  in  which 


illy 


the 
was 
igth 
lere 

the 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


145 


ho  vividly  portrayed  his  want  of  men,  and  his  fears  that  he 
mij^ht  not  be  able  to  resist  Burgoync,  who  was  known  to  bo 
approaching  with  a  large  force.     In  the  letter,  he  says  :  "  I 
cannot  help  rrpcutlmj  to  you  the  disagreeable  situation  wo 
arc  in,  nor  can  I  sec  the  least  prospect  of  our  being  able  to 
defend  the  post  unless  the  militia  come  in ;  and  should  tho 
enemy  protract  their  operations,  or  invest  us  and  content 
themselves  with  a  single  blockade,  we  arc  infallibly  ruined." 
On  the  28th  of  June,  General  Schuyler  writes  to  fjiencral 
Washington,  at  tho  same  time  enclosing  St.  Clair's  letter  of 
the  2r)th,  and  says,  "  Should  an  accident  happen  to  the  gar- 
rison of  Ticondoroga,  and  Oeneral  Burgoyne  makes  a  push 
to  gain  the  south  part  of  the  lake,  I  know  of  no  obstacle  to 
prevent  him  :  comparatively  speaking,  I  have  not  a  man  to 
oppose  him  :  the  whole  number  at  the  different  posts  at,  and 
on  this  side  of  the  lake,  including    the  garrisons  of  Fort 
George  and  Skenesborough,  not  exceeding  seven  hundred 
men,  and  these  I  cannot  draw  away  from  their  several  sta- 
tions, in  every  one  of  which  they  arc  already  too  weak." 

These  letters  show  the  real  state  of  the  frontier  at  the 
time.  Burgoync  was  approaching  with  an  army  of  over  sev- 
en thousand  veterans,  while  St.  Clair  had  three  thousand 
four  hundred  men  to  defend  a  circle  of  works  which  could 
not  be  properly  manned  with  less  than  ten  thousand,  and 
Schuyler  had  not  troops  enough  with  him  to  defend  the 
posts  in  the  rear.  It  had  been  said  that,  considering  his  want 
of  men,  St.  Clair  should  have  evacuated  the  works  before 
the  approach  of  the  British  army.  Such  a  course  would  have 
been  considered  inexcusable.  Besides  the  question,  whether 
all  or  even  a  part  of  these  works  should  be  abandoned,  had 
already  been  presented  to  the  consideration  of  the  provincial 
congress  of  New  York,  and  that  body,  on  the  Gth  of  iMay 
preceding,  had  passed  a  resolution  declaring  that,  in  their 
opinion,  the  abandoning  of  any  part  of  the  works  of  Ticon- 

19 


S\ 


i 


■ 


' 


!  ' 


1 


1 

1'  J I 


146 


LAKE  CUAMPLAIN. 


\  I 


dcroga,  would  be  productive  of  great  evils.  A  copy  of  this 
resolution  wus  at  the  time  forwarded  to  (General  Gates,  who 
replied  that  he  saw  no  reason  for  abandoning  any  part  of  the 
post  at  Ticondcroga,  and  that  he  had  good  ground  to  hope 
there  would  never  be  any  necessity  of  evacuating  or  sur- 
rendering any  portion  of  the  position,  if  tho  body  of  tho 
eastern  troops  arrived  in  any  reasonable  time. 

When  IJurgoyno  placed  his  batteries  upon  the  summit  of 
Mount  Defiance,  he  eftcctually  destroyed  ail  hopes  of  resist- 
ance on  the  part  of  the  Americans.  Their  only  alterna- 
tive was  to  surrender  or  evacuate  the  works,  liy  adopting 
the  latter  course,  St.  Clair  saved  the  greater  portion  of  his 
garrison,  and  ])reserved  the  nucleus  of  an  army,  which  ulti- 
mately baffled  liurgoyne,  and  compelled  him  to  capitulate. 
At  tho  moment,  however,  all  classes  of  people  were  astonished 
at  the  unexpected  result.  It  is  "an  event  of  chagrin  and 
surprise,"  says  Washington,  "  not  apprehended  nor  within 
tho  compass  of  my  reasoning.''^  The  council  of  safety  of 
New  York  stigmatized  it  as  a  measure  "  highly  reprehen- 
sible," and  "  probably  criminal."-  Among  the  people,  the 
most  violent  charges  were  made  against  both  St.  Clair  and 
Schuyler.  It  was  oven  asserted  that  they  were  bribed  by 
Burgoyne,  who,  it  was  said,  had  fired  silver  hullcts  into  the 
fort,  which  were  gathered  by  order  of  St,  Clair,  and  divided 
between  him  and  Schuyler. 


>  Letter  to  Major  General  Schuyler. 

'  •'  The  evacuation  of  Ticondcroga  appears  to  the  council  highly 
reprehensible,  and  it  gives  them  great  pain  to  find  tliat  a  measure 
BO  absurd  and  probably  criminal  sliould  bo  imputed  to  the  direction 
of  General  Schuyler,  in  whoso  zeal,  vigilance  and  integrity  the 
oounoil  repose  tho  highest  confidence" — Letter  to  Major  General 
Putnam,  July  11,  177  7.  To  this  letter  from  the  council  of  safety, 
General  Putnam  replied,"  I  am  greatly  astonished  at  the  evacuation 
of  Ticonderoga  in  the  manner  it  ia  represented ;  think  there  is 
great  fault  Bomewhero." 


i      i 


LAKE  CIIAMPLAIN. 


147 


This  report  would  seora  too  ridiculous  to  pain  credit  with 
iny  one,  Jind  yet  we  have  the  authority  of  AVilkinsou,  who 
V!ts  adjutant  pcncnil  to  (jates,  that  rcHpectable  men  ques- 
tioned him,  with  much  <;ravity,  as  to  its  truth. i  Time  soft- 
ened the  disappointment  of  the  people,  and  when  the  true 
condition  of  the  case  was  known,  both  officers  were  fully 
reinstated  in  the  confidence  of  the  nation. 

When  tSt.  Clair  joined  Schuyler  at  Fort  Edward,  their 
united  force,  includin<r  recent  arrivals,  did  not  exceed  four 
thousand  four  hundred  men,  who  were  immediately  employed 
in  obstructing  the  roads  loading  to  Lake  ('h-  niplain,  and  in 
placing  impediments  to  the  navigaticm  of  Wood  Creek.  So 
thoroughly  was  this  work  accomplished  that,  when  JJurgoyno 
afterwards  led  his  army  on  this  route,  he  was  often  unablo 
to  advance  more  than  one  mile  in  twenty-four  hours.  Schuy- 
ler remained  at  Fort  Edward  until  the  latter  part  of  the 
month  of  July,  when  he  fell  back  as  fiir  as  Saratoga,  and 
subsequently  retired  to  Stillwater.  While  at  Fort  Edward, 
he  removed  the  provisions,  stores,  boats  and  arms  from  Fort 
George,  and  on  the  17th  of  July,  destroyed  the  fort  itself. 

We  left  Burgoyne  at  Skenesborough,  and  Eraser  and  ilicd- 
esel  at  Ilubbardton,  on  the  7th  of  July.  After  the  retreat 
of  St.  Clair  towards  Fort  Edward,  these  two  columns  occu- 
pied the  ground  between  Castleton  and  Skenesborough;  the 
English  right  wing  occupying  the  heights  at  Skenesbor- 
ough, in  two  lines,  the  right  flank  to  the  mountain  and  tho 
left  to  Wood  Creek  ;  the  German  troops  were  stationed  at 
Castleton,  with  detachments  on  the  roads  leading  to  llutland 
and  Poultney ;  the  centre  was  occupied  by  Eraser's  corps. 
A  third  column  of  the  English  army,  under  General  Phillips 
was  engaged  in  getting  the  gun-boats,  transports  and  provi- 
sions over  the  falls  of  the  outlet  into  Lake  George.    This 


1  See  also  Doctor  Thaclier's  Military  Journal,  where  he  gravely 
denies  the  truth  of  the  absurd  report. 


f\ 


148 


LAKE  CUAMPLAIN. 


nv 


was  accomplished  after  great  labor  and  fatigue.  Phillips 
then  advanced  as  far  as  Fort  George,  where  ho  established  a 
depot  and  erected  magazines  for  the  army. 

While  Uurgoyne  was  at  Skenesborough,  he  issued  a 
proclamation  addressed  to  the  inhabitants  on  the  New  Hamp- 
fihire  grants,  in  which  he  directed  them,  under  pain  of 
military  execution,  to  send  deputatioiis,  consisting  of  ten 
persons  or  more  from  each  township,  to  meet  Colonel  Skene 
at  Castleton, "  who  "  adds  the  proclamation,  "  will  have  in- 
structions not  only  to  give  further  encouragement  to  those 
who  complied  with  the  terms  of  my  late  manifesto,  but  also  to 
communicate  conditions  upon  which  the  persons  and  proper- 
ty of  the  disobedient  may  yet  be  spared."  As  soon  as  Gen- 
eral Schuyler  saw  this  proclamation,  he  issued  an  order  that 
every  person  who  had  taken  or  might  take  a  protection 
from  Burgoync,  should  be  secured  and  sent  to  jail ;  at  the 
same  time  he  gave  notice,  by  a  counter  proclamation,  that 
all  who  should  join  with,  or  in  any  manner  assist  or  hold 
correspondence  with  the  English,  should  be  considered  and 
dealt  with  as  traitors. 

Burgoyne  had  placed  great  reliance  upon  the  discontent  of 
the  inhabitants  on  the  New  Hampshire  grants,  and  supposed 
that  large  numbers,  if  not  the  whole  population,  would  join 
his  army.  But  in  this  he  was  destined  to  be  most  sorely 
disappointed,  for  not  over  four  hundred  royalists  or  disaffected 
persons  joined  him,  and  at  least  half  of  these  he  represented  as 
"  trimmers,  merely  actuated  by  interest,"  in  whom  he  could 
place  no  dependence.  He  also  declared,  in  a  letter  to  Lord 
George  Germain,  that  the  New  Hampshire  grants  abounded 
in  the  most  active  and  most  rebellious  race  on  the  continent, 
who  hung  like  a  gathering  storm  upon  his  left.  This  opinion 
had  not  been  formed  without  good  reasons,  as  we  shall  now 
see. 

When  the  column  under  General  Phillips  moved  up  Lake 
George,  the  posts  at  Ticouderoga  and  Mount  Lidependeace 


LAKE  CUAMPLAIN. 


149 


were  left  with  a  guard  of  nine  hundred  and  ten  men,  com- 
posed of  the  53d  British  regiment,  four  hundred  and  sixty-two 
strong,  and  a  German  regiment  numbering  four  hunded 
and  forty-eight  men,  rank  and  file.  About  the  time  that 
]}urgoyne  had  collected  his  troops  at  Fort  Edward,  General 
Lincoln,  who  had  commanded  a  strong  detachment  of  militia, 
stationed  at  Manchester,  Vt.,  determined  to  make  a  diversion 
in  the  rear  of  the  British  line,  in  the  hopes  of  recovering 
the  Fort  of  Ticonderoga,  and  thus  cutting  oflf  Burgoyne's 
communication  with  Canada. 

General  Lincoln  ordered  Colonel  Warner,  with  a  detach- 
ment of  the  Massachusetts  militia,  to  move  in  the  direction 
of  Mount  Independence,  in  order  to  make  a  diversion  ,and 
an  attack  in  that  quarter,  if  the  occasion  should  favor  one. 
Another  detachment  was  sent,  under  (Colonel  Woodbridge, 
against  Skciiesborough  and  Fort  Ann,  while  Colonel  Brown, 
with  Ilerrick's  regiment  of  rangers  and  some  militia  and 
volunteers,  was  to  cross  the  lake  at  the  narrows,  pass  through 
the  woods  and  take  the  outposts  of  Ticonderoga,  and  the 
works  at  the  landing  of  Lake  George.  These  places  were  to 
be  attacked  at  the  same  time.  Captain  Ebenezer  Allen, 
with  his  rangers,  was  to  leave  Brown  and  Herrick  at  a  certain 
point  and  take  Mount  Defiance,  and  then  rejoin  them  to 
attack  Ticonderoga,  in  conjunction  with  General  Warner. 
The  plan  thus  arranged,  they  set  out  from  Pawlet  for  their 
difierent  places  of  destination.  Brown  had  to  cross  the 
lake  in  the  night  and  to  pass,  for  fourteen  miles,  over  rugged 
mountains,  which  he  accomplished,  reaching  the  head  of 
Lake  George  the  day  before  the  attack.  Before  it  became 
dark,  sentinels  were  placed  at  different  points  on  Mount 
Defiance  and  in  the  direction  of  the  other  British  posts,  with 
directions,  from  time  to  time,  to  give  "  three  hoots  of  an  owl," 
as  a  signal  to  guide  the  main  party  on  their  way  through 
the  darkness  of  night.  Colonel  Brown  took  possession  of 
Mount  Hope  and  of  a  block  house  near  the  old  French  lines. 


ill' 


If  5-    ^ 


■''^' 


!  ! 


150 


LAKE  CIIAMPLAIiV. 


lie  also  seized  two  hundred  lonp;-boats,  an  armed  sloop  and 
several  gun-boats  stationed  to  defend  the  carrying-place,  and 
captured  two  hundred  and  ninety-three  soldiers,  at  the  same 
time  releasing  one  hundred  American  prisoners. 

But  the  most  difficult  task  was  the  capture  of  the  British 
works  on  the  summit  of  Mount  Defiance,  which  could  be 
reached  only  by  a  cut  way  well  defended  and  guarded. 
Captain  Allen  and  his  men  had  after  great  difficulty  and 
labor,  nearly  reached  the  top  of  the  mountain,  when  they 
found  a  cliff  they  could  not  climb  in  the  ordinary  way. 
Allen  therefore  ordered  one  of  his  men  to  stoop,  and  stepping 
on  his  back,  clambered  to  the  top,  which  was  only  large 
enough  to  hold  eight  men  without  their  being  discovered  by 
the  enemy.  As  soon  as  the  men  had  reached  the  top,  he 
rushed  upon  the  garrison,  already  alarmed  by  the  tiring  at 
the  landing,  closely  followed  by  his  little  party,  who  says 
Allen,  "  came  after  me  like  a  stream  of  hornets  to  the 
charge."  The  garrison  immediately  fled,  with  the  exception 
of  one  man  who  attempted  to  fire  a  cannon  at  the  assailants. 
"  Kill  the  gunaer,"  cried  Allen,  at  the  same  time  discharg- 
ing his  musket.  At  this  the  man  ran  away  with  the  match 
in  his  hand,  leaving  the  Americans  in  full  possession  of  the 
works.  The  terrified  soldiers  rushed  down  the  cut  way  and 
were  captured  by  Major  Wait,  who  had  been  stationed  at 
the  bridge  to  intercept  their  retreat.  The  only  resistance 
offered,  during  the  night,  was  by  Lieutenant  Lord,  of  the  53d 
regiment,  who  commanded  at  the  block  house,  and  who  did 
not  yield  until  several  pieces  of  ordnance,  taken  from  the 
sloop,  had  been  brought  against  it. 

Colonel  Warner  did  not  arrive  near  Mt.  Independence  until 
early  the  next  morning.  "  He  moved  so  extremely  slow," 
says  Ira  Allen, i  "  that  he  saved  his  own  men  and  hurt  none 


^History  of  Vermont,  London,  1798. 


LAKE  CUAMPLAIN.  \^\ 

of  the  enemy."  When  he  came  up,  his  force  was  united  with 
Colonel  Brown's  and  the  fortress  of  Ticonderoya  sununoncd, 
but  Brigadier  General  Powel,  who  commanded  there,  ic^'uscd 
to  surrender,  declaring  that  he  was  resolved  to  defend  him- 
self to  the  last.  Brown  and  Warner  continued  a  cannonade 
;._ainst  the  fort  for  four  days,  when  finding  the  guns  made 
no  impression  upon  the  walls,  they  abandoned  the  siege  and 
withdrew  their  forces  to  the  lower  end  of  Lake  George, 
There  they  embarked  on  the  gun-boats  which  they  had  cap- 
tured, and  on  the  24th  sailed  against  and  attacked  Diamond 
Island.  On  this  island  a  large  (juantity  of  public  property 
had  been  stored,  which  was  guarded  by  two  companies  of  the 
47th  regiment,  under  Captain  Aubrey.  In  this  attack  the 
Americans  were  repulsed  with  a  small  loss,  and  retreated  to 
the  east  shore  of  the  lake,  pursued  by  several  gun-boats 
which  were  stationed  at  the  island.  As  soon  as  the  Ameri- 
cans landed,  they  burned  their  boats,  ci'ossed  over  the  moun- 
tains to  Lake  Champlain  and  returned  to  Lincoln's  camp  at 
rawiet.i 

The  fate  of  Burgoyne's  army,  after  it  left  the  lake  is  well 
known.  On  the  30th  of  July,  the  three  divisions  were  uni- 
ted at  Fort  Edward.  On  the  16th  of  August,  Colonel  Baum 
was  defeated  at  Bennington,  by  a  body  of  New  England  militia 
under  General  Stark.  St.  Leger  raised  the  siege  of  Eort 
Stanwix  on  the  28tb  of  that  month,  and  passing  through 
Canada  and  Lake  Champlain,  soon  after  joined  Burgoyne, 
between  whom  and  General  Gates  a  battle  had  been  fought 
atStillwater,  on  the  18th  of  September,  in  which  the  advan- 
tages were  decidedly  in  favor  of  the  latter.  After  the  action 
Burgoyne  retired  as  far  as  Saratoga,  where  another  severe 
action  was  fought  on  the  7th  of  October.     Ou  the  17th  of 


iln  this  expedition  the  Americans  recovered  the  continental 
standard  which  had  been  left  behind  when  St.  Clair's  army  evacu- 
ated the  fort  in  July. 


i 


1 


I 


i      ; 


'J 


IM 


I 


f'J 


i 


152 


LAKE  CUAMPLAIN. 


that  month  "  articlcp  of  capitulation"  were  signed  and  five 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  ninety-one  British  and  German 
troops  were  surrendered  as  prisoners  of  war. 

As  soon  as  the  news  of  ]]urf,'(iync'i?  surrender  reached 
Ticonderoga,  the  troops  stationed  in  that  vicinity  prepared 
for  an  immediate  retreat  to  Canada.  A  few  open  boats  now 
held  what  remained  of  the  proud  host  who  three  months 
before  had  ascended  the  lake  w  th  all  the  pomp  and  panoply 
of  war.  Then,  their  banners  floated  gaily  in  the  breeze, 
and  the  clear  notes  of  the  l)uglc  startled  the  echoes  of  tho 
surrounding  hills;  now,  with  watchful  eyes  they  hurried 
silently  along,  and  carefully  avoided  the  shores,  lest  the 
thick  and  tangled  forest  might  contain  some  bold  and  unseen 
foe.  Nor  were  their  fears  of  an  attack  without  foundation ; 
for  as  they  passed  the  mouth  of  tho  IJoucjuet  they  were  over- 
taken by  a  party  of  Green  Mountain  boys,  led  by  Captain 
Ebcnezer  Allen,  who  cut  off  the  rear  division  of  boats  and 
captured  fifty  men,  b" -'des  a  large  quantity  of  baggage  and 
military  stores. 

Thus  closed  tho  military  operations  of  the  year  on  Lake 
Champlain.  The  works  at  Ticonderoga  were  not  reoccupied 
by  the  Americans,  nor  was  this  section  of  country  the  scene 
of  any  important  military  movement  during  the  remainder  of 
the  war.  In  the  fall  of  1777,  Gates,  who  had  been  placed 
at  the  head  of  the  board  of  war,  conceived  the  project  of 
directing  a  descent  upon  Canada,  in  mid-winter,  by  tho  way 
of  Lake  Champlain,  for  the  purpose  of  destroying  the 
stores  and  shipping  at  St.  Johns,  on  the  Richelieu.  The 
conduct  of  the  expedition  was  entrusted  to  the  Marquis  de 
La  Fayette,  who  repaired  to  Albany,  full  of  high  hopes,  and 
panting  for  an  opportunity  to  distinguish  himself  in  a  sepa- 
rate command.  But  the  project  failed  from  the  want  of 
trooops.  Scarcely  twelve  hundred  men  could  be  mustered, 
and  the  greater  part  of  these  were  half  naked  and  unarmed. 
"  The  generals  only,"  says  Marshall,  "  were  got  in  readiness." 


LAKE  ClIAMPLAIN. 


153 


Lafayette  was  much  annoyed,  but  the  ul)stacles  were  insuper- 
able. 

In  1780  Sir  John  Johnson  made  a  descent  upon  Johns- 
town, near  the  3Iohawk,  for  the  purpose  of  recovering  the 
silver  plate,  -.vhich  ho  had  secreted  in  the  cellar  of  his  house, 
at  the  time  of  his  flight  in  1770.  Having  accomplished  this 
object,  Johnson  retired  to  Canada  by  the  way  of  Lake 
Champlain,  taking  with  him  about  forty  prisoners. '  He  was 
pursued  by  Governor  Clinton  at  the  head  of  a  body  of  militia. 
At  Ticonderoga  Clinton  was  joined  by  a  party  of  Green 
IMountain  boys,  but  from  a  want  of  boats  the  pursuit  was  dis- 
continued. In  the  fall  of  the  same  year  a  party  of  two  liun- 
dred  and  three  Indians,  led  by  seven  tories  and  refugees, 
passed  the  Winooski  and  attacked  tha  flourishing  settlement 
oflloyalton,  Vt.,  burning  twenty-one  houses  and  taking  four- 
teen of  the  principal  inhabitants  prisoners. 

In  October  3Iajor  Carle  ton  was  sent  up  the  lake  from 
St.  Johns,  with  a  fleet  of  eight  large  vessels  and  twenty-six 
long-boats,  containing  upwards  of  one  thousand  men,  in  or- 
der to  create  a  diversion  in  favor  of  Sir  John  Johnson,  who 
directed  an  attack  upon  the  Schoharie  und  Mohawk  country. 
On  the  10th  and  11th  3Iajor  Carleton  surprised  Fort  George 
and  Fort  Ann,  and  took  the  garrisons  prisoners.  In  the 
two  assaults  the  British  lost  four  oflieers  and  twenty-three 
privates  killed ;  while  the  loss  of  the  Americans  in  killed 
and  prisoners,  was  two  captains,  two  lieutenants  and  one  hun- 


1  Among  the  prisoners  captured  by  Sir  John  Johnson,  were  two 
bi'others,  named  Jacob  and  Frederick  Sammons,  who  resided  in  the 
valley  of  the  Mohawk,  near  tlic  confluence  of  that  river  with  the 
Cayadutta.  A  very  interesting  account  of  the  escape  of  the  bro- 
thers from  the  fort  at  Chambly,  and  of  tlieir  subsequent  adventures 
in  the  wilderness  on  the  east  side  of  Lake  Champlain,  is  given  by 
Colonel  Stone,  in  his  life  of  Brant  (Thayendanegea). 

20 


V 


1) 


154 


LAKE  CBAMPLAIN. 


dred  and  fourteen  privates.  Carlcton  remained  nt  Ticon- 
deroga  until  the  1st  of  November,  when  ho  returned  with 
the  boats  and  shipping  to  St.  Johns. 

In  the  spring  of  1781,  the  Tiofjuois  chief  Thayondanegea 
(Brant),  meditated  an  expedition  against  the  Oneidas  who 
had  been  driven  for  safety  to  a  position  about  fifteen  miles 
west  of  Saratoga.  This  enterprise  received  the  sanction  of 
Sir  Frederick  Ilaldimand,  then  governor  of  Canada,  who 
proposed  to  send  a  party  of  sixty  loyalists  under  Major  Jes- 
Bup,  the  commandant  at  Point  an  l^'cr,  towards  Fort  Edward 
to  cooperate  with  Brant's  Indians,  who  were  to  rendezvous 
on  Carleton  Island'  in  Lake  (.'haniplain.  For  some  cause 
now  unknown,  the  project  was  never  executed. 

In  the  course  of  the  summer,  the  British,  upon  several 
occasions,  entered  the  lake  with  their  whole  fleet,  but  at- 
tempted nothing  beyond  landing  at  Crown  Point  and  Ticon- 
deroga.  The  mysterious,  and  at  the  time  inexplicable 
movements  of  the  enemy  in  this  quarter,  kept  the  northern 
frontier  in  a  state  of  ceaseless  inquietude  and  alarm.  The 
army  about  Albany  was  small  and  weak,  and  the  American 
generals  were  greatly  perplexed  at  these  strange  manoouvers 
of  the  fleeb.  Whenever  it  ascended  the  lake,  an  attack  was 
expected  in  the  direction  of  Fort  Edward,  but  when,  a  few 
weeks  afterwards,  the  fleet  would  withdraw  without  making 
any  hostile  demonstration,  the  idea  prevailed  that  the  move- 
ment was  intended  to  create  a  diversion,  while  the  actual 
blow  was  to  be  struck  in  another  quarter.  The  mystery  of 
these  singular  proceedings  was  not  fully  explained  until 
several  years  afterwards,  when  it  became  publicly  known  that 
the  leaders  of  the  people  on  the  New  Hampshire  grants  had 
been,  during  the  years  1780  and  1781,  in  frequent  and  secret 
correspondence  with  the  authorities  of  Canada  in  relation  to 
the  political  destiny  of  the  grants. 


1  This  is  a  small  island  near  the  south  end  of  Grand  Isle, 
now  called  Stave  Island. 


It  is 


/ 


LAKE  CttAMPLAlN. 


156 


It  is  not  ray  purpose  to  enter  into  an  investigation  as  to 
the  character  or  effect  (tf  this  corrcspondenco.  The  subject 
properly  belongs  to  the  history  of  Vennoiit,  and  has  already 
been  ably  reviewed  by  her  historians.  It  is  enough  hero  to 
say,  that  on  the  part  of  the  British  the  negotiation  consisted 
of  repeated  endeavors  to  persuade  the  L-aders  on  the  grants 
to  abandon  tlie  American  cause,  and  to  declare  the  country 
a  Britisli  province,  and  c:;  lae  other  side,  of  evasive  and 
ambiguous  answers,  calculated  to  keep  alive  the  liopes  of  tho 
British  authorities,  but  not  intended  to  pledge  the  leaders  or 
the  people  to  any  certain  action.  It  is  very  evideni  that  if 
the  leaders  were  really  serious  in  t'lair  iitentions,  tht  people 
were  prepared  for  no  such  arrangcuent. 

"When  the  remnant  of  Burgoyne's  army  retreated  to  Can- 
ada in  1777,  the  British  retained  ijossessif  of  Poin*  au 
Fer,  which  they  occupied  as  a  military  post.  They  als  hold 
a  small  block-house  on  the  west  side  of  the  island  )  Sorth 
Hero.  These  places  were  not  given  up  uvti'  some  time 
after  the  close  of  the  war.' 


1  Botta — Burgoyne's  Narrative —  Thacher's  Military  Journal — 
Trumbull's  Reminiscences  of  his  own  Times  — Store's  Life  of  Joseph 
Brant  —  Journal  of  the  Neio  York  Provincial  Conyntt — Lossing's 
Field  Book  of  the  Revolution,  &o.,  &c. 


11 


^ 


I 


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j  i 


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I 


1,1 


i? 


CIIArTER  IX. 

From  1783  to  1800— ProfjrcsH  and  Extent  of  Settlements  on  the  Bordorfl  of  Lnko 
Clmmplaiu  —  Personal  Sketches—  Trade  and  Commerce  of  the  Country  —  Pop- 
ulation, &c.,  <&c. 

We  have  now  traced  the  history  of  Lake  Champlain, 
from  its  first  exploration  by  the  Europeans  in  1609, 
to  the  close  of  the  war  of  the  revolution ;  a  period 
of  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  years.  This  history,  thus 
far,  has  been  little  more  than  a  narnitivc  of  continued  strife 
and  contention.  C'hampluin  was  guided  to  the  lake  by  a  war 
party  of  Indians,  who  were  seeking  their  enemies  upon  the 
well-known  battle  ground  of  that  early  day.  He  wrote  the 
name  of  the  lake  upon  its  sands  with  the  blood  of  the  Iro- 
quois, and  proclaimed  it,  for  the  first  time,  amid  the  cries  of 
tortured  and  dying  prisoners.  For  many  years  afterwards 
the  French  and  English  colonists  crimsoned  its  waters  with 
each  other's  blood,  and  when,  after  a  short  interval  of  com- 
parative quiet,  the  war  of  the  revolution  broke  forth,  the 
tide  of  battle  almost  instinctively  returned  to  its  old  chan- 
nel. It  is  not  surprising  that,  under  such  circumstances,  but 
little  progress  had  yet  been  made  towards  the  settlement  and 
improvement  of  the  country. 

In  1783  the  settlements  near  the  lake  were  principally 
confined  to  the  few  towns  in  Vermont  opposite  and  south  of 
Crown  Point.  In  that  year  the  whole  population  upon  the 
borders  of  the  lake,  on  both  sides,  did  not  exceed  six 
hundred. 

For  several  years  after  the  declaration  of  poaco,  emigra- 
tion to  the  north  eastern  part  of  Vermont  was  retarded  by 


t  i 


LAKE  CIIAMPLAIN. 


157 


the  still  pending  disiiuto  between  the  claimants  under  tho 
New  Hampshire  grants  and  the  state  of  New  York,  in  re- 
gard to  land  titles.  This  controversy  had  however  lost 
much  of  its  acrimo)jy,  and  all  parties  were  prepared  for  its 
final  adjustment,  which  took  place  in  1790.  On  the  4th  of 
March,  1791,  Vermont  was  admitted  into  the  Union  asa  sepa- 
rate and  independent  state.  In  this  year  the  population  of 
the  lake  towns  was  six  thousand  seven  hundred  and  sev- 
enty three. 

In  1782,  a  party  of  royalists  emigrated  from  St.  Johns  on 
tho  llichelieu,  and  commenced  several  improvements  in  the 
town  of  Alburgh.  Soon  afterwaru  .  Ira  Allen  obtained  a 
grant  of  the  town  from  the  authorities  of  Vermont,  and 
brought  actions  of  ejectment  against  the  royalists,  which 
however  terminated  in  their  favor.  A  claim  to  the  township 
was  afterwards  advanced  by  Sir  George  Young,  under  color 
of  a  grant  from  the  Duke  of  York,  which  was  also  success- 
fully resisted  by  the  settlers. 

Isle  la  Motte  was  settled  in  1785,  by  Ebenezer  Ilydo, 
Enoch  Hall  and  William  Blanchard,  and  was  organized  as  a 
town  in  1790.  In  1802  the  name  of  the  town  was  changed 
to  Vineyard,  which  it  retained  until  1830,  when  the  original 
name  of  Isle  la  Motto  was  again  resumed.  The  islands  of 
North  Hero  and  Grand  Isle  were  chartered  as  a  town  in 
the  year  1779,  but  no  settlement  was  commenced  there  until 
1783.     In  March  of  that  year  Ebenezer  Allen,'  Alexander 


'  Ebenezer  Allen  was  a  native  of  IMnssachusetts.  At  the  age  of 
twenty-four  be  moved  info  Poultney,  aiul  in  company  with  liis 
brother-in-law,  Tliomas  Ashley,  commenced  tlic  first  settlement  in 
that  town,  lie  Wfts  soon  afterwards  appointed  captain  of  a  com- 
pany of  minute  men,  and  served  in  Colonel  llerrick's  regiment  of 
rangers  during  the  revolution.  Ho  led  the  attack  against  tho 
British  post  on  .Mount  Deliaucein  .Soplember,  1777,  and  afterwards 
captured  about  lil'ty  of  tlie  roiir-guard  of  Uurgoyno's  army  on  their 
retreat  to  Canada. 


jl 


II    \ 


If*- 


158 


LAKE  CUAMPLAm. 


I,' 


Gordon  and  Enos  Wood  visited  the  township  for  the  purpoao 
of  locating  their  respective  claims.  Wood,  who  by  agree- 
ment between  the  parties  was  entitled  to  the  first  choice, 
located  upon  the  south  end  of  the  north  island ;  Gordon  took 
the  north  end  of  the  south  island,  and  Allen  the  south  end. 
In  August  all  three  brought  on  their  families  and  commenced 
permanent  improvements.  For  the  first  fcwyears  the  inhabit- 
ants of  these  islands,  in  common  with  those  of  the  neigh- 
boring towns,  sufiered  great  inconvenience  from  the  want  of 
gristrmills,  the  most  accessible  being  at  Whitehall  and  Gran- 
ville, from  eighty  to  one  hundred  miles  distant. 

The  town  of  Milton  was  first  settled  in  1783,  Georgia  in 
1784,  and  St.  Albans  in  1785.  In  1784  3IcClain,  Law  and 
lioardman  moved  on  to  Colchester  Point,  and'  in  the  same 
year  Ira  Allen  returned  to  the  lower  falls  of  the  Winooski, 
where  he  soon  after  erected  mills,  a  forge  and  a  shop  for 
making  anchors.  ^ 

The  first  residents  in  the  town  of  Burlington  abandoned 
their  improvements  at  the  time  of  Burgoyne's  invasion  in 
1777.  Stephen  Lawrence,  Frederick  Saxton,  Simeon  Tubbs 
and  John  Collins  moved  into  the  town  and  renewed  the  set- 
tlement in  1783.  The  first  town  meeting  was  held  in  March, 
1787,  when  Samuel  Lane  was  chosen  town  clerk.  In  1789 
Stephen  Keyes  built  a  store  in  the  village,  which  was  opened 
in  the  fall  of  that  year  under  the  charge  of  Orange  Smith. 
Another  store  was  soon  afterwards  started  by  Zacheus 
Peaslee. 

In  the  year  1787  there  were  about  twenty  families  in  the 
town  of  Shelburn.     Charlotte  was  first  permanently  settled 


1  Ira  Allen  was  the  first  secretary  of  Vermont.  Subsequently  he 
was  atate  treasurer,  member  of  the  council,  and  surveyor  general. 
He  rose  to  the  rank  of  major  general  of  militia,  and  in  1795  was 
sent  to  Europe  to  purchase  a  supply  of  arms  for  the  state. 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


159 


in  1784,  by  Dcrick  "Webb  and  Klijah  Woolcut.  John  i\Ic- 
Neil  soon  afterwards  moved  into  the  town.  He  was  elected 
its  i-x-ft  I  jwn  clerk  and  representative.  In  1790  he  removed 
to  the  lake  shore  and  established  a  ferry  between  that  place 
and  the  town  of  Willsborough  (now  Essex),  N.  Y.  Ferris- 
burgh  was  settled,  after  the  war,  by  Abel  Thompson,  Gideon 
Hawley,  Timothy  Rogers  and  others.  In  the  year  1788  Amos 
Spafford,  Shadrack  Hathaway,  Eben  Murry,  Kphraim  and 
Wm.  Fisher  and  John  Charter  commenced  a  settlement  at 
Mount  Independence,  in  the  town  of  Orwell,  and  the  next 
year  Pliny  Smith  and  others  moved  into  the  town  with  their 
families.  The  same  year  Barber,  Durfee  and  Noble  moved 
into  the  town  of  Benson. i 

Let  us  now  cross  to  the  western  or  New  York  side  of  the 
lake.  In  1784  the  county  of  Washington  was  organized, 
and  originally  included  all  the  territory  lying  west  of  and 
adjoining  the  lake.  In  1788  that  portion  contained  in  the 
present  counties  of  Clinton,  Essex  and  Franklin,  was  taken 
from  Washington  and  formed  into  a  new  county,  which  was 
called  Clinton.  Essex  was  taken  from  Clinton  in  1799,  and 
Franklin  in  1808.  The  town  of  IMattsburKh  was  organized 
as  a  purt  of  Washington  county  in  1785,  and  included  all 
the  territory  within  the  limits  of  the  present  towns  of  Bcek- 
mantown,  Saranac,  Schuyler's  Falls,  and  also  portions  of  Old 
Peru  and  Old  Chatcaugay.  It  was  the  only  town  on  the 
west  side  of  the  lake  until  1788,  when  Champlain,  Wills- 
borough  and  Crown  Point  were  organized.  Willsborough 
originally  included  the  present  towns  of  Chesterfield,  Essex, 
Lewis  and  a  part  of  Old  Peru.  Crown  Point  embraced  all 
the  territory  lying  between  Willsborough  and  Lake  George. 


» For  further  information  in  rognrd  to  the  first  settlement  of 
Vermont,  seeZadockTliompson's  Gazetteer  of  Vermont — a  most  able 
and  elaborate  work. 


\ 


Hi 


i'^' 


It  I  tJBJi- 


160 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


When  Burgoync  entered  the  United  States,  all  the  persons 
residing  on  the  west  side  of  the  lake  abandoned  their  habita- 
tions, and  either  joined  the  American  army,  or  retired  to  the 
neighborhood  of  Albany.  They  returned  immediately  after 
the  peace,  and  were  soon  followed  by  others;  but  the 
progress  of  the  settlement  of  the  county  was  very  slow  for 
the  first  ten  years.  In  1790  the  population  of  Clinton  county, 
which  then  embraced  the  whole  territory  west  of  the  lake, 
waste  be  found  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Saranac  and  the  Uomjuet 
rivers,  and  did  not  then  exceed  sixteen  hundred  and  four- 
teen. 

Prior  to  the  revolution  William  Oilliland  had  commenced 
a  settlement  at  the  falls  of  the  Boucjuet  River,  from  which 
lie  was  taken  and  sent  to  Albany  by  order  of  (icncral  Gates, 
in  177f>-  After  the  war  he  returned,  accompanied,  or  soon 
followed  by  Aaron  Fairchild,  Jonathan  Lyude,  Joseph 
Sheldon,  Abrai..  Aiken,  Martin  Pope,  Melchor  and  John 
Hofi'naglc,  John  Morehouse  and  others,  who  in  1784  settled 
at  and  near  the  mouth  of  the  Bouquet.  In  August,  1783, 
Benjamin  Mooers'  arrived  at  Point  au  lloche,  and  com- 
menced the  first  permanent  settlement  within  the  limits  of 
the  present  town  of  Beekmantown. 

Mr.  Mooers  brought  with  him  Francis  Monty  and  son, 


•Benjamin  Mooers  was  born  in  Ilavcrhill,  Massachusetts,  on 
the  1st  of  April,  1758,  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  entered  the  army 
as  a  volunteer.  In  1777  he  was  appointed  ensign  in  Ilazen's  regi- 
ment, and  was  afterwards  promoted  to  the  rank  of  lieutenant  and 
adjutant.  .  Vt  the  close  of  the  war  he  removed  to  Clinton  county, 
of  which  he  *vas  the  first  sheriflF.  He  was  four  times  elected 
member  of  the  assembly,  and  once  of  the  state  senate.  During 
the  war  of  1812  he  held  the  office  of  major  general  of  militia,  and 
for  forty-eight  years  was  county  treasurer,  lie  died  at  Tlattsburgh 
in  February,  1838,  in  the  80th  year  of  his  age. 


LAKE  CUAMPLAIN. 


161 


Zaclicus  Pcaslcc,  Pierre  Boilan,  Charles  Clouticr,  Antninc 
Lavan,  Joseph  Lctournaii,  Aiitoiiio  Lasambcrt,  1*.  Abolr 
and  John  Fessie.  Ou  the  2Gth  of  July  he  left  Poughkcepsie 
in  a  bateau,  and  on  the  29th  arrived  at  Albany,  where  ho 
was  joined  by  John  La  Fronibois,  who  was  returning  to  his 
farm  on  the  lake  shore  in  Cliazy.  On  the  3lst  the  party 
left  Albany  and  proceeded  up  the  Hudson  lliver  about  five 
miles,  where  the  boat  was  partially  unloaded  and  taken  over 
the  rapids  to  Stillwater.  On  the  lid  of  August  they  reached 
Fort  Miller,  and  at  noon  of  the  3d  arrived  at  Fort  Edward. 
The  baggage  and  bateau  were  drawn  across  the  country  to 
Fort  George,  where  the  party  procured  another  boat,  and  the 
same  evening  sailed  nine  miles  down  the  lake,  and  encamped 
on  a  small  island  near  its  eastern  shore.  The  next  day  they 
reached  the  lower  end  of  Lake  George,  and  on  the  Gth  drew 
the  boats  around  the  falls  into  Lake  Champlain,  and  sailed 
down  the  lake  with  a  fair  wind,  passing  Crown  Point  about 
sundown. 

On  the  8th  the  party  landed  on  Valcour  Island,  where 

they  were  delayed  by  headwinds  until  Sunday  morning 
(10th),  when  they  set  sail,  and  the  same  day  arrived  at  Point 
au  llochc.  The  next  day,  the  whole  party,  except  La  From- 
bois,  who  had  gone  on  to  visit  his  old  place  a  few  miles  below, 
commenced  work,  and  in  ten  days  completed  a  log  house 
and  cleared  a  small  patch  of  land  for  turnips.  It  rained 
almost  incessantly  while  they  were  at  work  on  the  house, 
and  they  were  not  fairly  settled  when  young  Monty,  Lavan 
and  Cloutier  wore  taken  doi/n  with  the  fever  and  ague. 

On  the  2Gth  of  August,  Mr.  Mooers,  with  three  others, 
left  Point  au  Roche  to  visit  the  place  occupied  by  Monty 
before  the  war.  "  There  have  been  several  persons  taking 
up  land  there  "  says  3Ir.  Mooers  in  his  journal.  "  I  found 
Monty's  house  burnt  all  up,  aud  the  place  where  another 

21 


I  i 


i 


!i  , 


ii 


: 


1     ' 

'  ml 


Ig2  LAKE  CnAMPLAIN. 

house  was  bnrncfl.  A  man  has  it  fenced,  and  considcralile 
more  cleared.  lie  has  been  there  this  summer  and  made 
two  large  stacks  of  hay."  One  of  the  first  labors  of  the 
new  settlers,  after  building  the  house,  was  to  cut  a  quantity 
of  grass  for  the  support  of  the  oxen  during  the  winter. 
This  grass  grew  wild  in  many  places  upon  the  low  lands 
near  the  shore  of  the  lake,  and  for  several  years  was  the 
only  fodder  used  in  the  country.  ]Jy  the  11th  of  September 
Mr.  Mooers  had  cleared  up  a  small  field  near  his  house, 
which  he  sowed  to  wheat  and  turnips. 

About  the  year  1788,  Jacque  lions  emigrated  from  Canada 
and  settled  at  Rouse's  Point.  Pliny  Moore  lived  at  Cham- 
plain  in  1785,  and  Davis  and  Cross  near  King's  IJay.  About 
the  same  time  Prisque  Ashline  commenced  a  clearing  near 
the  Corbeau  River,  In  the  year  1787  Robert  Cochran  and 
Nathaniel  !Mallory  resided  on  the  lake  shore,  near  the  mouth 
of  the  Ausable  River,  Moses  Dickson,  Jabez  Allen  and  Lot 
and  John  Elmore  on  the  rich  lands  lying  between  those 
rivers,  and  Edward  Everett  and  John  Stanton  in  what  is 
now  called  the  Union  in  the  town  of  Peru. 

In  1781  the  legislature  of  the  state  of  New  York,  in  or- 
der to  encourage  the  raising  of  troops  for  the  defense  of  the 
state,  passed  certain  acts  ofiering  bounties  of  unappropriated 
lands  to  such  oflBcers  and  soldiers  as  should  enlist  within 
a  specified  time.  These  bounties  were  divided  into  rights 
of  five  hundred  acres  each,  and  there  was  a  provision  in  the 
act  that  whenever  any  number  of  persons  entitled  collect- 
ively to  sixty-one  rights,  or  30,500  acres,  should  join  in  a 
location,  the  lands  so  located  should  be  laid  out  in  a  township 
of  seven  miles  square,  and  that  the  remaining  860  acres  in 
such  township  should  be  reserved  for  gospel  and  school  pur- 
poses. These  rights  were  sometimes  retained  by  the  sol- 
diers, but  more  frequently  a  company  of  land  speculators 
would  furnish  money  to  the  recruiting  officers  to  be  paid 


LAKJi  CHAilPLAIX. 


163 


US  a  Itounty  to  those  who  on  enlistment  should  transfer  their 
certilicatcs  to  the  company.  In  this  way  a  larye  portion  of 
the  unappropriated  lands  of  the  state,  subject  to  location, 
passed  into  the  hands  of  a  few  individuals. 

Jud{;;e  Zephaniah  Piatt,  of  Pou^'hkeepsic,  and  thirty-i.v^ 
other  persons,  havin*;  united  in  the  purchase  of  the  number 
of  rights  ref|uisitc  to  entitle  the  holders  to  a  township,  located 
them,  in  1784,  upon  the  lands  which  had  formerly  been 
embraced  in  the  warrant  issued  by  the  English  government 
to  Charles  Do  Fredenburj^h.  A  survey  of  the  land  was 
made  in  the  same  year  by  Captain  Nathaniel  Piatt  and  Cap- 
tain Simon  R.  Ileeves,  two  of  the  proprietors,  and  a  patent 
issued  by  the  state  to  Zephaniah  Piatt  in  1785.' 

The  proprietors  were  active  in  their  cft'orts  to  secure  the 
immediate  settlement  of  the  tract.  Q'en  >j!ft  lots  were  set 
apart  for  the  first  ten  persons  who  should  move  into  the  town 
with  their  families,  and  arrangements  were  made,  at  an  early 
day,  for  the  building  of  mills,  &c. 

On  the  30th  of  December,  1784,  twelve  of  the  proprietors 
met  at  the  house  of  Judge  IMatt,  in  Poughkeepsie,  where  they 


'The  following  is  a  list  of  the  original  proprietors  of  Platts- 
burgh  old  patent,  and  of  the  number  of  acres  allotted  to  each. 
Thomas  Treadwcll,  Nchcmiah  Benedict  and  Thomas  Benedict, 
1,120  acres;  Nathaniel  Piatt,  9o0;  Nathaniel  Tom,  480;  Burnet 
Miller,  480;  Ezra  L'llommedieu,  320;  Peter  Tappan,  480;  John 
Miller,  (540;  Benjamin  Walker,  320 ;  John  Berrien,  480;  Jonathan 
Lawrence,  480;  Benjamin  Smith,  480;  Israel  Smith,  DOO;  Mc- 
lancton  Smith,  1,120;  Zephaniah  Piatt,  'JOO;  AVilliam  Floyd,  320; 
Benjamin  Conklin,  500;  Andrew  Billings,  400;  John  Adams,  1,000; 
Thomas  Stone,  1,000;  Lewis  Barton  200;  Ebenezer  Mott,200; 
Zacheus  Newcomb,  1,200;  Piatt  llogcrc,  1,500  ;  (Jcncral  Schuyler, 
950;  Benjamin  Titus,  4(i0;  Ciiailcs  Piatt,  800;  Jolin  Smith, 400; 
Albert  Adriancc,  2(M);  Samuel  Sinitii,  200;  .Jacobus  S.  Swartout, 
200;  Simon  R.  Beeves,  2,S()(i;  Zcphiiniiili  and  Xalhnniel  Pliitt, 
4,050;  Zcphauiah  and  Nathaniel  Piatt  and  S.  11.  llccves,  4,300. 


IGA 


LAKH  C'lIAMPLAI.V. 


a<^rcc(l  to  become  jointly  interested  in  building  a  saw-iMlll, 
ii  ,<;rist-uiill  and  a  forge  on  the  Saranac,  near  its  luuuth. 
They  also  agreed  to  furnish  twine  for  a  seine,  and  to  build 
a  piragua  "of  a  moderate  size."  Attached  to  the  agreement 
was  an  esti'nate  of  the  probable  cost  of  the  mills,  from 
which  it  appears  that  three  hundred  and  sixteen  dollars  were 
apropriated  for  mill-stones,  irons,  nails,  bolting-cloth  and 
saw,  and  sixty-five  dollars  for  flour  and  bread.  One  hundred 
and  sixty  dollars  were  divided  equally  between  pork  and  New 
England  rum — a  pint  of  rum  to  a  pound  of  pork  being  a 
workman's  requisite  in  those  roistering  days. 

Among  those  who  received  t\\Qf/i/t  lots  were  Jacob  Ferris, 
Thomas  Allen,  John  B.  llartwick.  Derrick  Webb,  Jabez 
Petit,  Moses  Soper  and  Kinner  Newcomb.  Ferris  received 
a  deed  for  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  lying  on  the  south 
side  of  the  river  Saranac  at  its  mouth,  which  covered  all 
that  part  of  the  present  village  of  Plattsburgh,  lying  cast  of 
the  river.  In  1785,  Charles  McCreedy,  Melancton  L.  Wool- 
sey  and  several  others  moved  into  the  town.  Cumberland 
Head  was  then  supposed  to  present  the  ipost  eligible  point 
for  business,  and  the  first  stores  established  in  the  town  were 
located  there.  After  a  few  years  the  stores  were  removed 
to  the  present  village,  but  the  Head  still  continued  to  bo  a 
place  of  some  importance.  It  had  a  direct  communication 
with  Vermont  by  ferry,  and  for  a  long  time  was  the  usual 
landing  place  for  vessels  navigating  the  lake. 

Probably  few  towns  in  the  state  of  New  York  can  claim 
among  their  first  inhabitants  and  proprietors,  a  greater  num- 
ber of  men  of  talent  than  Plattsburgh.  Conspicuous  in  this 
class  were  Melancton  Smith,  Zephaniah  Piatt,  Thomas  Tread- 
well  and  Peter  Sailly. 

Melancton  Smith,  one  of  the  proprietors,  was  a  native  of 
Jamaica,  Queens  County,  L.  I.,  where  he  was  born  in  1744. 
While  a  boy  he  was  placed  in  a  retail  store  in  Poughkecpsiej 


LAKE  VIIAMI'IAIX. 


166 


ami  resided  in  that  town  until  his  removal  to  the  city  of 
New  Vurk  in  17^4.  At  the  early  at;e  of  thirty-one  he  waa 
chosen  one  of  the  delej^ates  to  represent  the  county  of  Dutch- 
ess in  the  first  provincial  congress  of  New  York,  which  met 
in  May,  177;'),  and  Hoon  became  a  leading  and  distinguished 
meinhcr  of  that  body.  lie  was  one  of  the  committee  who 
prepared  the  celebrated  address  to  the  Canadians,  at  the 
commencement  of  the  revolutiimary  struggle.  On  the  ;'2d 
of  June,  1770,  he  was  appointed  captain  commandant  of  three 
companies  of  militia  raised  in  Dutchess  and  West  Chester, 
and  the  next  year  was  placed  on  the  commission  to  prevent 
and  subdue  insurrection  and  dissatisfaction  in  those  counties. 
lie  was  in  the  same  year  appointed  the  first  sheriff  of  Dutch- 
ess county,  which  office  he  held  for  four  years,  and  was  after- 
wards made  judge  of  the  common  pleas. * 

In  17<S8,  though  then  a  resident  of  the  city  of  New  York, 
»  Mr.  Smith  was  chosen  by  the  people  of  Dutchess  county  to 
the  convention  which  met  in  Juno  of  that  year  to  consider 
the  coiistitution  of  the  United  States,  as  prepared  by  the 
convention  at  IMiiladclphia  in  May  of  the  preceding  year. 
In  the  discussions  and  deliberations  of  this  body,  he  exhib- 
ited talents  and  information  of  the  highest  order,  and  was 
ranked  as  one  of  the  ablest  opponents  of  Hamilton  and 
Livingston  on  the  floor  of  the  convention.  When  it  was 
ascertained  that  a  sufficient  number  of  states  had  so  decided 
as  to  render  the  adoption  of  the  constitution  certain,  Mr. 
Smith  gave  up  his  objections.  "  This  was  deemed  at  the 
time,"  says  (jhanceller  Kent,  "  a  magnanimous  sacrifice  of 
preconceived  principles  and  party  discipline  for  the  national 
welfare,  and  the  efl'ort  was  the  greater,  inasmuch  as  he  had 
to  desert  his  friend,  Governor  Clinton,  who  persevered  to  the 
end  in  his  hostility  to  the  constitution." - 

'  Journal  of  (he  \ctv  York  Provincial  Congress. 

'  Chancello)'  Kent,  as  <iuotcd  in  appendix  to  Thompson's  History 

■>/  T.vng  Isliiuil 


\\ 


■ 


■    ■     ■ 


P 


i 


J(J(;  LAKE  VIIAMPLAW. 

Mr.  .Smith  wiis  twice  married.  His  first  wifo  was  Sarah 
kSmith  of  New  Jersey,  who  died  in  1770;  his  second,  Mar- 
garet, duuj^htcr  of  Itiuhbil!  Motte  of  Loiifj;  Ishiiid,  whom  ho 
married  in  1771  and  by  whom  he  had  four  chiKlrcn,  Ilich- 
bill,  Mclancton,  Sidney  and  Phoebe,  all  of  whom  afterwards 
resided  in  I'lattsbiirgh.  He  died  in  the, city  of  New  York 
on  the  29th  of  July,  179JS,  in  the  55th  year  of  his  a<,'e. 

"Mclancton  Smith,  "says  Mr.  Dunlap,  "  was  a  man  oi' 
rouyli  exterior,  powerful  in  bodily  appearance,  and  undaunted 
in  expressinjj;  his  mind,  which  he  did  iu  plain  language, 
but  with  a  sarcasm  that  was  cutting  and  a  humor  correct  and 
playful."  "lie  was,"  says  Ohancellor  Kent,  "very  amia- 
ble in  his  temper  and  disposition,  of  a  religious  cast,  and 
very  foml  of  metaphysical  and  logical  discussions,  in  which 
he  was  a  master."  In  private  life  he  was  kind,  affectionate 
and  communi'-ativc,  and  as  benevolent  as  amiable;  indeed 
his  charity  know  no  limits.  While  the  army  was  encamped 
near  his  residence  in  Dutchess  county,  the  females  of  the 
family  v,  re  constantly  employed  in  making  clothing  for  the 
soldiers.  "  I  could  only  make  up  my  bedding  by  stealth," 
Mrs.  Smith  afterwards  used  to  say, "  for  if  the  judge  came 
in  and  found  me  sewing  upon  a  pair  of  sheets,  he  would 
request  the  clotli  cut  into  shirts  for  the  half  naked  soldiers 
of  Washington's  army." 

Zei'IIAXiaii  PiiATT  ^»as  possessed  of  a  clear,  sound  and 
discriminating  mind,  and  was  classed  among  the  first  men 
of  the  state.  In  1776,  when  forty-one  years  of  age,  he  was 
chosen  a  delegate  from  Dutchess  county  to  the  first  provin- 
cial congrc.-s,  and  occupied  a  prominent  position  in  that 
body;  he  was  a  member  of  the  committee  of  safety,  and 
took  an  active  part  in  the  convention  called  for  forming  a 
constitution  for  the  state.  He  was  for  a  short  time  com- 
missary for  the  troops  under  command  of  Brigadier  General 
Clinton.  In  June,  1777,  he  was  appointed  a  judge  of  the 


LAKE  CUAMVLAIW.  J^jJ 

Dniolipss  poninion  picas,  and  the  .same  year  was  cloclod  one 
of  tho  staff  t'liat'  rs  of  the  middle  district,  tlien  eomposod  of 
the  couiit\,'.s  of  DutchesH,  I'lster  and  Oran<^c.  He  was  also 
mcmher  of  the  state  convention  which  assenjl»Ied  at  Poiiyh- 
keepsic,  in  Juno,  1788,  to  deliberate  on  tho  adoption  of 
the  constitution  of  tho  United  States. 

Tn  the  spring  of  1777  the  counties  of  Dutchess  and  West 
('hester  were  filled  with  disaffected  persons,  who  it  was 
feared,  upon  the  first  advance  of  the  British  troops  out  of 
New  York  city,  would  attack  those  friendly  to  the  American 
cause.  To  prevent  this,  tho  provincial  convention  appointed 
Mr.  IMatt  and  two  other  members  of  their  body  a  committee 
to  clear  those  counties  of  all  dangorous  and  disaffected 
persons.  "  You  are,"  were  the  instructions  to  the  coinmittec, 
"  on  every  occasion,  by  every  means  in  your  power  (torture 
excepted),  to  compel  the  discovery  and  delivery  of  all  spies 
and  emissaries  of  the  enemy,  who  you  may  have  reason  to 
believe  are  concealed  in  any  part  of  the  country  through 
which  you  may  make  your  progress,  and  upon  due  jiroof 
immediately  execute  them  in  h'tromn."^  The  committee 
executed  the  delicate  and  responsible  duty  confided  to  them 
with  firmness,  and  with  the  most  impartial  justice. 

ATter  the  war  Mr.  Piatt  engaged  largely  in  the  purchase 
of  military  land  warrants  and  located  them  principally  upon 
Lake  Champlain.  He  removed  from  Pouglikeepsie  to  I'latts- 
burgh  about  the  year  1801,  where  he  resided  until  his  death, 
in  September,  1807. 

Thomas  Treadwell,  another  of  the  original  proprietors 
of  riattsburgh,  was  born  inSmithtown,  Long  Island,  in  1742, 
and  graduated  at  Princeton  in  1764.  He  was  well  educated, 
and  highly  distinguished  for  his  good  sense,  prudence  and 
firmness.      In   1775   he  was  a  member  of  the   provincial 


In 

\ 

I 


i 


'  Journal  of  the  New  York  Provincial  Congress. 


1 


1(J8  LAKE  VUAMPLAIN. 

convention.  lie  was  also  a  member  of  the  eonvcntion  that 
framed  the  state  conistitution,  and  was  one  of  the  Hcnators 
under  that  constitution.  In  17H8  he  was  a  member  of  tho 
convention  which  as.sembled  to  consider  the  constitution  of 
the  United  States,  in  which  he  coliperated  with  ("linton, 
jMehineton  Smith,  Yutcs  and  Lansinjj;.  He  was  made  jiidj^o 
of  probate  of  Suffolk  county  in  1 7!SI{,  and  hehl  tho  office  until 
surrogates  were  appointed,  when  he  received  the  appointment 
of  Hurrojjjate,  which  he  held  until  171)1.'-  Soon  after  tho 
organization  of  Clinton  county  ho  removed  to  IMattsburgh 
and  was  chosen  a  sena*or  for  the  northern  district.  In  1807 
he  was  appointed  surrogate  of  Clinton  county,  which  office 
he  held  until  the  spring  of  1831.  Ho  was  for  many  years 
the  last  surviving  member  of  the  venerable  assembly  that 
framed  the  first  constitution  of  the  state,  and  died  on  tho 
30th  of  January,  1832,  enjoying  to  the  last  the  respect  and 
confidence  of  his  fellow  men. 

Pkter  S.mlly  was  a  native  of  Loraine  T'ranco.  He  first 
visited  the  United  States  in  1784  and  made  a  tour  of  explo- 
ration through  the  valley  of  the  Moliawk  and  the  country 
bordering  on  Lake  Champlain.  In  1785  he  returned  to 
France  for  his  family,  with  whom  he  arrived  at  the  city  of 
New  York  in  the  summer  of  that  year,  and  having  passed 
the  winter  in  Albany  settled  the  following  spring  in  the  town 
of  Plattsburgh.  Mr.  Sailly  was  a  man  of  great  probity, 
possessing  strong  powers  of  mind  and  a  clear  discernment  of 
character.  He  was  active,  enterprising  and  firm ;  a  master 
of  order  and  method  and  scrupulously  exact  in  his  business 
transactions.  Although  educated  in  a  foreign  land  he  brought 
to  the  country  of  his  adoption  a  mind  deeply  imbued  with 
the  principles  of  liberty,  which  he  carefully  cherished  and 
enlarged  in  after  life.  He  held  several  offices  of  public 
trust,  and  to  the  hour  of  his  death   enjoyed  the  unlimited 


'  Thompson's  History  of  Long  Island. 


LAKE  CnAMPLAlN.  1(J9 

confidcnco  of  his  fellow  men.  In  1804  he  was  elected  a 
member  of  c'onfjrress  from  the  Sarntofija,  Clinton  and  Kmscx 
di8tri"t,  and  by  hi.s  strict  attention  tobusincsH  and  a  judicious 
and  unostentatious  course,  won  the  confidencoof  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son, by  whom  he  was  soon  afterwards  appointed  collector  of 
customs  for  the  district  of  Champlain  —  an  office  he  held 
through  the  successive  administrations  of  ^ladison  and  Mon- 
roe until  his  death  in  182G  j  u  period  of  over  eighteen 
years. 

The  duties  of  collector,  during  a  portion  of  this  time, 
were  most  delicate  and  responsible,  as  upon  the  revenue  offi- 
cers devolved  the  arduous  and  unpopular  service  of  putting 
in  execution  the  en»bargo  and  non-intercourse  laws.  In  tho 
discharge  of  this  duty  Mr.  Sailly  never  hesitated,  but  upon 
all  occasions  enforced  the  laws  with  promptness  and  strict 
impartiality.  Kind  and  affable  in  his  intercourse  with  his 
fellow  citizens,  he  wounded  the  feelings  of  none  by  a  rough  or 
unnecessary  display  of  power,  while  his  firmness  and  de- 
termination of  character  were  too  well  understood  for  any  one 
to  hope  by  the  strongest  opposition  to  deter  him  from  tho 
prompt  discharge  of  his  public  duties. 

The  first  court  of  common  pleas  and  general  sessions 
for  Clinton  county  was  held  at  Plattsburgh,  on  the- 28th  of 
October,  1788.  Judge  Charles  Platti  presided.  Peter  Sail- 
ly,  Thcodorus  Piatt,  William  McAuley,  Pliny  Moore  and 
Robert  Cochran  were  the  associate  justices  \  Benjamin 
Mooers  was  sheriff;  Melancton  L.  Woolsey,-  clerk;  John 


1  Charles  ^'LATT  wns  a  native  of  Long  Island  and  a  brother  of 
Zcphaniah  Piatt.  lie  removed  to  riattsburgh  soon  after  the  organ- 
ization of  the  town,  was  elected  its  first  supervisor,  and  for  several 
years  was  town  clerk.  lie  was  first  judge  of  the  Clinton  common 
pleas  until  the  year  1804,  and  in  1808  was  appointed  to  the  office 
of  county  clerk,  which  he  held  until  1822. 

*  Melakctom  L.  Woolsey  was  the  youngest  son  of  Melancton  T. 


I!  ' 


A 


YJQ  LAKE  CnAMPLAlX. 

Frontfreydc,  coroner ;  and  llobort  Paul,  Jonathan  Stephen- 
son, Lewis  Lizotte  and  Jonathan  Lyndc,  constables.  One 
attorney  only  was  in  attendance,  who  appeared  in  behalf 
of  the  people;  the  prisoners  were  defended  by  the  clerk. 
The  first  circuit  and  oyer  and  terminer  for  the  northern 
part  of  the  state,  was  held  by  Judge  licnson,  at  the  court 
house  in  Plattsburgh,  oa  the  ISth  of  Au<:;ust,  1790.  The 
next  year  Judge  Lansing  held  a  circuit  court  at  the  block 
house  in  Willsborough,  where  the  court  aljso  convened  in 
1798. 

In  1789  George  Clinton  and  Kobcrt  Yates  were  opposing 
candidates  for  governor.  The  canvass  was  so  warmly  con- 
tested that  the  supporters  of  Governor  Clinton  secured  his 
reelection  by  the  small  majority  of  four  hundred  and  twenty 
nine  votes.  The  entire  vote  of  Clinton  county  at  this  elec- 
tion was  forty-five,  which  was  thus  divided  betweei.  the  two 
candidates. 

Clinton.    YntcH. 

Crown  Point, 10 

Willsborough, 15         3 

Plattsburgh, .,  17' 


Wooisey  of  Long  Island,  nnd  in  early  life  bnd  served  ns  an  officer 
in  the  army  and  as  aid  to  Governor  Clinton  He  removed  to  Platts- 
burgh in  1785,  was  soon  after  appointed  clerk  of  Clinton  county, 
and  was,  for  several  years,  collector  of  customs  for  the  Chuuiplain 
district. 

>  The  poll  list  of  this  election  was  no?  preserved,  but  it  can  be 
conjectured  who  cast  these  seventeen  votej,  when  it  is  known  that 
the  following  seventeen  persons  were  elected  to  town  offices  in 
Plattsburgh,  at  that  election.  Charles  Piatt,  Kinner  Newcomb, 
Theodorus  Piatt,  Melancton  L.  Woolsey,  Abviiham  Bceman.  John 
Stephenson,  John  Cochran,  Jr.,  Nathan  Averill,  Cyrenus  Newcomb, 
Edvard  Everett,  Peter  Sailly,  John  B.  TIardwic'',  Jonas  Allen, 
Moses  Soper,  Titus  Andrews,  Benjamin  Mooers  and  Lucius  Rey- 
nolds. 


LAKE  CIIAMPLAIN.  171 

Tn  1793  the  vote  of  the  county  was  increased  to  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty-four.  Cicorgc  Clinton  was  elected  governor 
over  Stephen  Van  llcnssolaer  in  1801,  by  a  majority  of  three 
thousand  nine  hundreil  and  sixty-five.  At  this  time  Kssex 
had  been  yet  off  from  Clinton,  and  several  new  towns  had 
been  organized  in  both  counties.  This  year  the  vote  was  aa 
follows : 

Clinton  Cou.nti/. 

Clinton.  Van  Rensselaer. 

Champlain, 42  45 

Lisbon, 21  71 

riattsburgh, 107  21 

Chateaugay, 11  52 

Peru 90  24 

271  213 
Essex    County. 

Willsborough, 50  82 

Crown  Point, 10  6 

Elizabethtown G9  9 

Jay, 46  13 

175  110 

The  vote  of  both  counties  in  1803  was  749,  which  was 
increased  to  929  in  1804.  Two  years  later  the  number  of 
votes  polled  in  both  counties  was  1,247. 

The  increase  of  population  on  both  sides  of  the  lake,  from 
1790  to  1800,  was  nearly  two  hundred  per  cent.  During 
this  decade  considerable  progress  was  made  in  agriculture  j 
particularly  on  the  Vermont  .side,  where  the  attention  of  the 
greut  body  of  the  inhabitants  was  directed  to  the  cultivation 
of  the  soil,  the  raising  of  sheep  and  the  production  of  flax. 
The  manufacture  of  pot  and  pearl  ash  was  also  carried  on  to 
a  considerable  extent.  Some  attention  had  likewise  been 
given  to  the  manulacture  of  iron.     As  early  as  1792  four 


I. 


172  LAKE  CllAMPLAlH. 

forges  were  erected  in  Addison  county  and  two  in  Chitten- 
den, and  prior  to  the  year  IHOO  several  other  forges  had 
been  erected  at  other  points,  upon  both  sides  of  the  lake. 
These  forges  wore  principally  supplied  from  a  bed  near 
Crown  Point,  which  is  yet  celebrated  for  the  quality  and 
quantity  of  its  ore.^  The  country  abounded  with  inaplo 
trees  from  which  large  (juautitios  of  sugar  were  annually 
uiadc.  Many  of  the  maples  were  of  very  large  size,  and  it 
was  not  unusual  for  the  i'armers  to  make  from  twelve  to  fif- 
teen pounds  of  sugar,  in  the  course  of  the  season,  from  a  sin- 
gle tree.2 

The  first  settlers  were  generally  hunters  and  derived  con- 
siderable profit  from  the  sale  of  peltry,  as  the  country  then 
abounded  with  moose,  deer,  bears,  beavers,  foxes,  wolves, 
rabbits,  martins,  &c.  The  lake  was  also  celebrated  lor  the 
abundance,  variety  and  delicate  flavor  of  its  fish.  Salmon, 
muskellunge,  bass,  shad,  pike,  pickerel  and  perch  were 
caught  in  great  abundance  in  all  parts  of  the  lake,  and  in 
the  mouths  of  the  principal  streams.  The  lower  part  of  the 
lake  near  Wind-mill  Point,  and  the  Big  (Miazy  River  at  the 
foot  of  the  first  rapids,  wore  especially  celebrated  for  their 
salmon  fisheries,  ('hamplaiii,  in  the  account  of  his  expedi- 
tion in  1G09,  describes  a  large  fish  found  in  the  lake  which 
the  Indians  called  chaousaruu,  and  which  grew  to  the  length 
of  eight  or  ten  feet.  He  saw  one  five  feet  long,  "as  thick 
as  a  thigh,  with  a  head  as  big  as  two  fists,  with  jaws  two  feet 


*  When  Kalm  viaa  at  Crown  Point,  in  1740,  he  noficetl  black  sand 
upon  the  shores  of  the  lake,  but  he  says  it  was  not  then  known 
whether  there  were  iron  mines  in  the  neigliborhooJ  or  not.  Iron 
ore  was  first  found  within  the  present  limits  of  Clinton  county,  in 
1800,  when  the  Winter  bcl  was  discovered  by  Mr.  Ocv-vge  Shalfer. 
The  Arnold  bed  was  first  opened  in  1809. 

•  Williams's  llUlnri/  of  Virmmit. 


1 


LAKE  CnAMPLAIN. 


173 


! 


anil  a  half  long  and  a  double  set  of  very  sharp  and  danger- 
ous tcelli."  "The  form  of  the  body,"  says  Champlain, 
"  reseiubics  that  of  the  pike,  and  and  is  armed  with  scales 
that  a  thrust  of  a  poniard  cannot  pierce;  and  is  of  a  silver 
grey  color.  The  point  of  the  head  is  like  that  of  a  hog."i 
This  fish  made  war  upon  all  others  in  the  lake,  who  fled  in 
terror  at  its  ajjproaeh.  It  was  probably  the  esox  Ion;/ trust r is 
Oi"  tho  csox  usseus  of  Mitchell.  The  species,  of  smaller  size, 
still  exists  in  the  lake,  and  is  occasionally  caught  near  Islo 
la  Motte.'^ 

A  large  quantity  of  pine  and  oak  timber  was  annually  cut 
on  the  borders  of  the  lake,  which  was  rafted  through  tho 
llichelieu  and  Ht.  Lawrence  to  Quebec,  from  whence  it  was 
ehipped  to  England.  The  timber  trade  had  furnished  em- 
ployment for  the  early  settlers  before  the  revolution.  Al'ter 
tho  war  it  greatly  increased,  and  for  many  years  formed  an 
important  traflic  for  the  inhabitants  residing  on  the  west  side 
of  the  lake. 

The  commerce  of  the  lake  was  principally  limited  to  a 
small  export  and  import  trade  with  Canada.  Vermont  im- 
ported rum,  wines,  brandy,  gin,  coarse  linens  and  woolens,  tea, 
coflee,  chocolate,  and  many  articles  neceH.sary  for  building, 
were  yrrain  of  all  kinds,  bar  iron,  \ 


c[)orts 


igh 


pot  and  pearl  ashes,  beef,  pork,  lumber,  peltry,  maple  sugar 
and  some  flax. '  The  exports  on  tho  New  York  side  wore 
lumber,  pot  and  pearl  a«hos,  peltry  and  iron. ' 


1  Voi/di/es  de  la  Nottv,  Francr,  IGOO. 

'Se  Do  Kiiy's  desciiplion  of  the  gnr  fish  and  of  tho  Buffalo 
bnny  piko,  in  the  yalunil  Uislonj  of  Atw  York. 

'  Williams's  History  of  Vermont. 

*"The  manufactures  here  are  of  little  importance,  cxclu.siveon 
iron  works.  There  are  live  works  on  the  New  York  sitlo  of  the  lake 
where  iron  is  nianufiictured  at  once  from  very  ricii  ore.  Sucli  iron 
Bells  from  SlOO  to  $120  per  ton.  Tiiere  is  iili^o  an  anchor  shop  on 
A  pretty  large  scale,  and  a  furnace  is  erecting  and  nearly  completed 


'<! 


) 


174 


LAKlB  CUAMPLAIN. 


I/arj^e  quantities  of  grain  and  provisions  were  brought 
from  Vermont  and  Canada,  to  supply  the  inhabitants  of 
Clinton  and  Essex  counties,  who,  from  the  first,  had  been 
allured  from  the  pursuits  of  agriculture,  by  the  attractions 
of  the  lumber  trade. 

Large  tracts  of  land,  lying  in  Clinton  county,  were  set 
apart  in  17H4  and  178G  for  Canadian  and  Nova  Scotia  refu- 
gees, and  for  such  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  state  as  had 
served  in  the  United  States  army  and  were  entitled  to  land 
bounties  under  the  act  of  1782.  These  tracts  were  surveyed 
and  subdivided,  and  many  of  the  lots  were  occupied  under 
the  state  grants.  Tho  greater  portion,  hoAvevcr,  were  for- 
feited for  want  of  actual  occupation,  and  the  lands  were 
afterwards  patented  l)y  the  state  to  other  persons.  Among 
those  acquiring  title  under  those  patents  vas  William  Bailey,' 
who  purchased  an  extensive  tract  in  the  present  town  of 


in  this  vicinity  ( Piatt sbugli).  We  have  none  but  liouscLolil 
manufactures  of  cloth.  There  arc  a  number 'of  carding  mills,  and 
nail  cutting  by  water  machinery  is  done  to  a  considerable  extent  ; 
all  of  which  affords  a  very  good  profit.  It  does  not  come  within 
the  spirit  of  your  ciicular  to  speak  of  the  great  number  of  saw- 
mills, nor  of  the  manufacturing  of  ashes  which  here,  as  in  every 
other  northern  country  newly  settled,  is  an  object  of  profit  and 
importance.''  ./V^v  Sullh/  Emj.,  collector  of  the  district  of  Cham- 
plain,  to  tlh     ecretary  of  the  treasury,  September  7tli,  18((9. 

iWiLLiAM  .  -LKY  was  tt  Bon  of  ColonclJohn  Bailey,  of  Dutchess 
county.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  was  drafted  into  the  Dutchess 
county  militia,  and  was  sent  to  join  the  army  at  ^Vest  Point.  I!o 
first  visited  I<al<c  ("lianiplain  in  17H(1,  and  aided  in  the  survey  of 
the  lands  belonging  'o  /ephaniah  Piatt  and  his  associates.  He 
was  one  of  the  associate  justices  of  the  Clinton  common  pleas  in 
1770  nnd  was  appointed  first  judge  of  the  county  in  1800.  In 
1800  lie  was  appointed  first  n\ajor  in  Lt.  Col.  Uenjamin  Moocrs's 
roginit  t  of  militia,  and  was  elected  a  member  of  the  assembly  in 
lH(tJ.  and  nu'iiiniii  Isdc,  He  removed  to  I'lattsbiirgh  in  1811  whore 
he  royidcd  until  Ills  death,  in  tlio  year  1840. 


LAKE  CHAMPLAiy. 


175 


Cliateaup;ay.  lie  moved  there  iu  the  year  ISOO,  ami  cloarcil 
and  cultivated  u  large  farm  near  the  four  corners.  At  an 
early  day  he  huilt  a  forge  on  the  Chateauuay  llivcr,  near 
the  falls,  which  he  intended  to  supply  with  ore  from  a  bed 
at  the  south  end  of  the  upper  Chateaugay  Jjakc.  This  bed 
when  tirst  opened  proscntod  u\cry  iiiuicii'.iou  of  containing  a 
large  supply  of  ore,  but  it  soon  became  exhausted  and  the 
forge  was  abandoned. 

Before  Mr.  IJailey  settled  in  Chateaugay'  he  was  employed 
by  the  state  to  survey  the  lands  set  apart  for  the  Canadian 
and  Nova  Scotia  refugees.  At  this  time  the  Hrit'..-.?i  occupied 
Point  au  Fer  as  a  military  post,  and  the  commanding  officer 
there  refused  to  allow  the  surveying  party  to  approach  or  to 
continue  their  survey  to  the  point.  The  claim  of  the  British 
commandant  seems  to  have  included  all  tli;^  territory  north 
of  the  Big  Chazy  River,  for  after  Judge  I'liny  Moore  settled 
in  Champlain  in  1785,  he  was  visited,  on  the  first  of  each 
month,  by  a  corporal  and  tile  of  men,  sent  from  Point  au  Fcr 
to  notify  him  that  his  claim  of  title  from  the  state  of  New 
York  would  not  be  recognized.  No  attention  was  paid  to 
these  repeated  warnings,  which  continued  until  the  liritish 
gave  up  possession  of  Point  au  Per,  about  the  year  1788. 

I  have  already  had  occasion  to  refer  to  the  conflicting 
claims  setup  by  various  parties  and  at  difl'erent  times,  to  the 
title  and  sovereignty  of  the  country  bordering  on  Jiake 
Champlain.     The  last  of  these  claims  had  been  adjusted  in 


iTlie  town  of  Clmteaugfty  (originally  a  part  of  Clinton  county) 
wag  fifNt  settled  in  the  year  17'.l(i  by  llenjamin  Hoberts  anil  Nallinn 
Ik'niftii,  wlio  were  soon  followed  by  .loiin  Allen,  Gates  Iloit,  Lewis 
Uan.^om.  David  Mallory  and  several  others.  Malloiy  was  employed 
by  rnp(aiM  Nathaniel  IMatt,  of  Platlsburgh.to  build  a  grist  mill  on 
Marble  lliver,  one  mile  and  a  half  north  of  the  present  villnge  of 
Chateanpiiy.  Until  this  miil  was  completed  (17118)  the  inhabitants 
procured  their  flour  from  I'lattsburgh  —  a  journey  which  usually 
required  one  week's  time. 


;■ 


I  i 


ft 


i 

\ 


176 


LAKE  CUAMP^AIN. 


the  year  preceding  the  admission  of  Vermont  into  the  Union. 
In  the  year  179.^  the  Caughnawaga  and  St.  Kcgis  Indians, 
calling  themselves  the  Seven  Nations  of  Canada,  sent  a  depu- 
tation to  the  government  of  the  state  of  New  York,  claiming 
a  tnict  of  laud  covering  a  large  portion  of  the  northern  part 
of  the  state.  A  commi.^sio!i,  consisting  of  Egbert  IJcnson, 
Richard  Varick  and  James  Watson,  was  appointed  to  treat 
with  the  Indian  chiefs  upon  the  subject,  and  in  the  summer 
of  1790  an  arrangement  was  effected,  by  virtue  of  which  the 
Seven  Nations  relinquished  their  claim,  with  the  exception 
of  the  St.  Regis  reservation,  for  a  small  sum  in  hand  paid, 
and  a  yet  smaller  perpetual  annuity. 

As  soon  as  the  Seven  Nations  had  completed  their  nego- 
tiations with  the  state  of  New  York  they  advanced  a  similar 
claim  against  Vermont,  for  lands  lying  on  the  east  side  of 
Lake  Champluin. 

The  subject  was  carefully  examined  by  the  legislature  of 
Vermont,  but  no  decision  was  had  until  the  next  year,  when 
the  governor  of  the  state  was  requested  to  inform  the  claim- 
ants that  the  legislature  was  of  the  opinion  that  their  claim, 
if  it  ever  existed,  had  long  since  been  done  away  and  be- 
come extinct,  in  consequence  of  the  treaty  of  peace  between 
the  king  of  Great  Britain  and  the  French  king,  in  1703, 
and  the  treaty  of  peace  between  the  king  of  Great  Britain 
and  the  United  States,  in  the  year  1783  ;  and  that  the  Indiana 
had  now  no  real  claim  either  in  justice  or  equity.  This  de- 
cision was  communicated  to  the  Indians,  and  the  subject 
was  dropped  without  any  further  iiCgotiations  by  either 
party. 

The  Caughnawagas  resided  on  the  south  bank  of  the  St. 
Lawrence,  near  the  island  of  Montreal,  in  Canada.  The 
St.  Ttogis  Indians  lived  above  and  upon  the  same  bank  of 
that  river.  The  latter  still  occupy  the  lands  reserved  to 
them  by  their  agrcemout  with  the  state,  in  179G.  Theso 
IndiaiiS  were  qaiet  and  peaceable,  and  endeavored  not  only 
to  preserve  order  within  their  own  territory,  but  to  prevent 


LAKE  UlIAMPLAIX.  jy^ 

the  violation  of  the  Inns  of  Now  York.  An  instance  of  their 
respect  for  order  and  j^ood  government  occurred  in  1804, 
under  the  following  circumstances. 

Jocco  Lafrance,  a  St.  Regis  Indian,  in  the  winter  or  spring 
of  that  year,  killed  a  man  near  C'hateaugay  and  escaped  to 
the  Indian  village.  He  wa.s  innncdiatoly  arrested  by  the 
chiefs  and  delivered  up  for  trial.  The  evidence  on  the  trial 
not  being  sufficient  to  convict  Jocco  of  murder,  he  was  ac- 
quitted of  that  charge,  but  was  banisheil  from  the  county. 
The  chiefs  were  satisfied  that  Jocco  was  really  guilty,  and 
on  his  return  banished  him  from  their  village  also.  They 
likewise  addressed  the  following  letter  to  Judge  Bailey,  who 
was  theu  one  of  the  magistrates  of  Chatcaugay  : 

"This  may  certify  to  whom  it  may  concern,  that  we,  the 
chiefs  and  warriors  of  the  vi'lage  of  St.  llegis,  are  deter- 
mined to  hold  among  ourselves  a  strict  regulation  of  justice, 
and  that  whereas,  Jocco  Lafrance  has  committed  crimes  not 
within  our  jurisdiction,  but  he  belonging  to  our  village,  im- 
mediately apprehended  .said  .Iiicco  and  delivcri'il  him  up  to 
justice  where  said  crinie  was  committed,  to  receive  just 
punishment  imder  their  laws,  according  to  the  crime  he  had 
committed,  which  wc  esteem  murder  to  be  the  most  heinous 
crime  in  felony.  Said  Jocco  has  now,  after  his  trial,  returned 
to  us  again  by  banisiiment.  For  which  now,  said  chiefs, 
having  a  full  sense  that  the  said  Jocco  has  committed  the 
heinous  crime  of  muriler,  have  passed  a  resolve  that  the 
said  Jocco  must  immediately  leave  the  territin'ies  under  our 
jurisdiction,  and  also,  if  any  person  .shall  or  may  see  .said 
Jocco,  it  is  our  sincere  wish  that  they  may  disappear  him 
away  from  us,  and  never  to  have  him  seen  among  us  while 
time  shall  be  on  earth. 

St.  llegis,  October  17.  1804. 

IJy  order  of  the  chieTs. 

William  Gray." 
23 


^\ 


i 


t 


\-f 


CHAPTER  X. 

DifflcnltioBbpfwccn  Grent  Brifnin  and  the  United  StnteB  — Ilcnry's  Mipulonto 
Now  Kii^rlnnd  — I'rcBldi'iit  Mndinoii's  Mt»Hnt,'«  to  Coii;,'rcHn  —  Hcport  of  C'om- 
mltti-e  on  Foreign  Affairn  —  Dcclnratioii  of  Wiir  In  June,  1812— Troope  ordered 
to  the  Chaniplaln  Frontier— Ueucral  Dcarboru'B  Mornlnj;  Vicil  in  Canada 
—  lliH  Army  j;o  Into  Winter  Quarters  — Alfair  at  St.  KcRift— Opcraliona 
on  tliii  Ontario  Frontier  diirlii<;  tlie  Huinnier  of  1813  — BritlHh  and  American 
Kaval  force  on  Uilvc  C'hainiilain  —  Lobb  of  tlie  (irowler  and  Kajjlo  —  Colunol 
Murray  Ijiirns  tlic  Barraclis  and  I>iiblic  Uuildin^H  at  Piatt'luirgli. 

Althou<i;li  Great  Britain  acknowledged  the  independence 
of  the  United  States  by  the  treaty  of  1783,  she  could  not 
forget  thtit  they  had  once  formed  the  largest  and  most 
important  of  her  colonial  possessions.  A  feeling  of  dissatis- 
faction pervaded  the  IJritish  nation,  and  led  to  many  acts  of 
oppression  towards  the  infant  confederacy.  Vessels  sailing 
upon  the  high  seas  under  the  American  flag  were  boarded 
by  her  ships  of  war ;  American  seamen  were  impressed ; 
trade  with  neutral  natirtns  wjls  forbidden,  and  the  territory 
of  the  United  States  invaded. 

In  June,  1807,  the  IJritish  ship  of  war  Leopard  fired  into 
and  boarded  the  United  States  frigate  Chesapeake,  while  tho 
latter  vessel  was  yet  within  sight  of  the  American  coast. 
Ten  days  after  this  attack,  3Ir.  Jefferson  issued  a  proclama- 
tion interdicting  all  intercourse  with  the  British  armed 
vessels  then  within  the  waters  of  the  United  States.  This 
proclamation  was  followed,  on  the  22d  of  December  of  tho 
same  year,  by  an  act  of  congress  declaring  an  unlimited  em- 
bargo on  every  port  in  the  Union. 

During  the  year  1808  negotiations  were  conducted  be- 
tween the  two  countries  iu  a  temper  that  promised  a  pacifio 


LAKE  CIIAMPLAIN. 


179 


termination  of  tlio  dispute,  but  no  duQnite  arrangement  was 
concluded.  The  United  States,  in  the  njean  time,  was 
making  preparations  for  dcfen.sc.  A  large  number  of  gun- 
bouts  were  constructed  for  the  protection  of  the  sea  coast, 
nnd  in  January,  1801),  the  president  was  directed  to  equip 
four  new  vessels  of  war.  About  tbe  same  time.  Lieutenant 
Melancton  T.  Woolsey  was  sent  nortli  to  build  two  gun-boats 
on  Lake  Champlain,  and  a  brig  of  sixteen  guns  on  Lako 
Ontario.' 

When  the  news  of  the  attack  upon  the  Chesapeake  first 
reached  the  people,  there  was  a  general  cry  of  indignation 
throughout  the  country.  Politics,  however,  ran  high  at  the 
time,  and  this  natural  and  national  sentiment  was  soon 
consumed,  in  many  quarters,  by  the  fire  of  party  strife.  As 
the  dispute  with  Great  liritain  progressed,  the  opposition 
of  the  anti-administration  party  developed  itself  more  and 
more  against  the  policy  and  measures  of  the  government, 
until  at  length  the  authorities  in  ''anada  were  induced  to 
believe  that  a  portion  of  the  states  wore  anxious  to  secede 
from  the  Union.-  To  encourage  this  feeling  of  discontent, 
Sir  John  Craig,  governor  of  Canada,  sent  the  notorious  Jolm 
Ileii  ry  as  an  emissary  among  the  Federalists  of  the  New 
England  states,  with  directions  to  ascertain  how  I'ar,  in  ease 
of  their  separation  from  the  Un.an,  they  "would  look  to 
England  for  assistance,  or  be  disposed  to  cuter  into  connec- 
tion with  Great  Britain." 

Mr.  Henry  reached  Burlington  on  tlie  12th  of  February, 
1809,  and  at  first  was  much  pleased  with  the  evidences  of  dis- 


*  Tbe  gun-boats  on  Lake  Cbamplain  were  at  first  placed  under 
tbe  command  of  Lieutcnint  Ilaswell,  U.  S.  Navy. 

*Tbis  opposition  was  the  most  violent  in  tbe  Eastern  statjs,  the 
inhabitants  of  which  were  more  commercial,  and  had  suffered  more 
from  the  eflfocia  of  the  embargo  than  those  of  any  other  section  of 
the  Union. 


180 


LAKE  VIIAMPLAIN. 


w 


content  amun^'  the  peoi)lc.  "  On  the  subject  of  the  embargo 
hiws,"  111'  writes  (Jovernor  Craig,  "  there  seeinH  but  one 
o])inion  ;  namely :  that  they  are  unnecessary,  oppressive 
and  uiiconstitutiitual.  It  must  also  be  observed  that  the  exe- 
cution of  them  is  so  invidious  as  to  attcatt  towards  the  offi- 
cers of  government,  the  enmity  of  the  people,  which  is  of 
course  transferred  to  the  government  itself;  so  that  in  case 
the  state  of  Massachusetts  should  take  any  bold  step  towards 
resisting  the  cxecutiou  of  these  laws,  it  is  highly  proliablc 
that  it  nuiy  calculate  upon  the  licarty  cooperation  of  the 
people  of  Vermont."  A  few  days  later  Mr.  Henry  expresses 
some  doubts  as  to  the  correctness  of  his  first  opinions.  "  The 
Federal  party,"  he  again  writes  tJovernor  Craig,  "  declares 
that  in  the  event  of  war,  the  state  of  Vermont  will  treat  sepa- 
rately for  itself  with  (Jrcat  Britain,  and  support  to  tlio 
utuiost  the  stipulations  in  which  it  may  enter,  without  any 
regard  to  the  policy  of  the  general  government.  The  Demo- 
crats on  the  other  hand  assert  that,  in  such  a  case  a.s  that 
eu'.itemplated,  the  people  would  be  nearly  divided  into  ecjual 
numbers ;  one  of  which  would  support  the  government,  if 
it  could  be  done  without  involving  the  peoplft  in  a  civil  war; 
but  at  all  events  would  risk  every  thing,  in  prefereaco  to  a 
coalition  with  (Jreat  Britain." 

Henry's  investigations  were  not  satisfactory,  and  before 
he  left  for  Boston  he  evidently  became  convinced  that 
in  the  event  of  a  dispute  among  the  states,  the  citizens  of 
Vermont  could  not  be  relied  upon  to  join  the  seceders,  or  to 
unite  in  a  strong  opposition  to  the  war.  He  had  at  first  been 
led  astray  by  the  loud  clamor  of  politicians,  and  by  the  com- 
plaints of  tho.se  who  had  suffered  most  from  the  operatitni 
of  the  embargo.  These  laws  had  severely  injured  the  com- 
merce of  the  lake,  and  had  broken  up  the  direct  communica- 
tion with  the  <  'anada  markets,  upon  which  the  inhabitants  of 
the  lake  counties  depended  for  a  sale  of  their  products,  and 
for  a  supply  of  foreign  vommodities. 


LAKE  CI/AMPLALV. 


181 


Tlio  country  was  filled  with  sinu^'^^lers,  who  frequently 
camo  in  collision  with  the  revenue  (ifficers.  In  Honio  of 
these  cneuuMters  blood  had  been  »hed  and  lives  lost.  The 
first  serious  affray  occurred  on  the  Winooski  Uiver,  in 
18U8,  between  a  party  of  governnient  officers  and  a  sniug- 
glin<;  vessel  called  the  lllack  Snake,  in  which  two  of  the 
government  officers  were  killed.  Attempts  were  frequently 
made  to  seize  the  collectors  and  revenue  officers  stationed 
on  both  sides  of  the  lake.  These  attempts  always  I'ailed, 
but,  on  one  occasion,  two  of  the  assailants  were  severely, 
although  not  mortally  wounded.  The  feeling  of  oj)j)ositiori 
to  the  embargo  was  strong  at  the  time  of  Henry's  visit, 
in  1809,  and  induced  him  *"  attach  greater  inqwrtance  to 
the  representations  of  n  persons,  as  to  the  sentiments 

of  tlie  inhabitants  of  Western  Vermont,  than  was  warranted 
by  the  real  inclinations  of  the  people  them.selves.  It  is  well 
known  that  when  war  was  declared,  the  Vermontese  were 
not  only  ready  to  repel  an  invasion  of  that  state,  but  that 
many  of  them  volunteered  to  cross  the  lake,  and  oppose  the 
advance  of  the  Hritish  into  the  state  of  New  York. 

The  difficulties  between  the  United  States  and  Great  Bri- 
tain continued  to  increase,  in  number  and  importance,  until 
the  year  1812.  On  the  1st  of  June  of  that  year,  3Ir.  Madi- 
son sent  a  message  to  congress,  in  which  he  reviewed 
the  various  grounds  of  complaint  against  fJrcat  Britain, 
and  set  forth,  at  length,  the  unsatisfactory  manner  in  which 
that  power  had  received  and  treated  the  frequent  remonstran- 
ces made  on  the  part  of  the  United  States.  This  message 
was  referred  to  the  committee  on  foreign  affairs,  who,  a  few 
days  afterwards,  made  a  report  in  which  they  fully  concur- 
red in  the  .sentiments  expres.jcd  in  the  president's  message. 

In  this  report  the  committee  declare  that  more  than  seven 
years  had  elapsed,  since  the  commencement  of  a  system  of 
hostile  aggressions,  by  the  Briti.sh  government,  on  the  rights 
uud  interests  of  the  United  States.     That  the  Uuitcd  States 


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132  LAKE  CBAMPLAm. 

had  done  every  thing  in  their  power  to  preserve  the  relations 
of  friendship  with  Great  Britain,  and  had  given  proof  of  this 
disposition  at  the  moment  when  they  were  made  the  vic- 
tims of  an  opposite  policy.  The  committee  then  referred 
to  the  attack  made  by  Great  Britain  upon  the  commerce 
between  the  United  States  and  the  colonies  of  France  and 
Spain — a  commerce  which  they  declared  was  just  in 
itself,  sanctioned  by  the  example  of  Great  Britain  in  regard 
to  the  trade  with  her  own  colonies ;  sanctioned  by  a  solemn 
act  between  the  two  governments  in  the  last  war,  and  by 
the  practice  of  the  British  government  in  the  then  existing 
European  war. 

They  refer,  at  length,  to  the  different  attacks  made  by 
Great  Britain  upon  the  rights  and  sovereignty  of  the  United 
States  J  the  interference  with  her  neutral  trade ;  the  pretend- 
ed blockade  of  the  whole  coast  of  Europe,  from  the  Elbe 
to  Brest,  inclusive;  the  order  of  council  of  January,  1807,  by 
which  neutral  powers  were  prohibited  from  trading  from  one 
port  to  another  of  France,  or  of  her  allies,  or  to  any  country 
with  which  Great  Britain  might  not  freely  trade ;  the  order 
of  council  of  November  of  the  same  year  j  the  claim  of  right 
to  search  vessels  sailing  under  the  American  flag  ;  impress- 
ment of  American  citizens  into  the  British  naval  service, 
and  the  attempt  to  dismember  the  Union,  by  a  secret  mission 
to  foment  discontent  and  excite  insurrection  against  the  con- 
stituted authorities  and  laws  of  the  nation. 

Having  clearly  and  plainly  stated  the  facta  upon  which 
these  charges  were  based,  and  reviewed  the  whole  course  of 
of  Great  Britain  against  the  United  States  since  1804,  the 
committee  recommended  an  immediate  appeal  to  arms,  and 
introduced  a  bill  declaring  war  between  the  United  States 
and  Great  Britain.  This  bill  passed  the  senate  by  a  vote  of 
nineteen  to  thirteen,  and  the  house  of  representatives  by  a 
vote  of  seventy-nine  to  forty-nine,  and  was  promulgated  by 


LAKE  CEAMPLAIir.  Jgg 

the  proclamation  of  President  Madison,  on  the  17th  day  of 
June,  1812. 

Active  measures  were  immediately  taken  by  many  of  the 
states  to  second  the  action  of  the  general  government.  The 
state  of  New  York  approved  warmly  of  the  course  of  the  ad- 
ministration and  prepared  to  prosecute  the  war  with  vigor. 
Vermont  was  at  the  time  under  the  control  of  the  Democrats, 
and  both  the  governor  and  legislature  pledged  themselves 
to  support  the  country  in  the  approaching  contest.  A  law 
was  immediately  passed  by  the  legislature  of  the  latter  state, 
prohibiting  all  intercourse  with  Canada  without  a  pormit 
from  the  governor,  and  measures  were  taken  for  calling  out 
the  militia  whenever  their  services  might  be  required. 

The  effective  force  in  Canada,  at  the  time  of  the  declara- 
tion of  the  war,  was  about  ten  thousand  men.  These  troops 
were  principally  concentrated  around  Quebec,  but  the  greater 
part  were  soon  afterwards  removed  to  Upper  Canada,  which 
was  threatened  on  the  west  by  an  army  under  General  Hull. 
In  the  summer  of  1812  General  Bloomfield  was  ordered  to 
the  Champlain  frontier,  with  several  regiments.  By  the  1st 
of  September  he  had  about  eight  thousand  men,  including 
regulars,  volunteers  and  militia,  under  his  command.  This 
force  was  stationed  at  Plattsburgh,  with  small  advance  par- 
ties thrown  forward  as  far  as  Chazy  and  Champlain.  The 
troops  remained  in  quarters  until  the  16th  of  November, 
when  they  moved  north,  under  the  immediate  command  of 
Major  General  Dearborn,  and  on  the  18th  encamped  about 
half  a  mile  south  of  the  Canada  line.  The  army  collected  at 
this  point  numbered  three  thousand  regulars  and  two  thou- 
sand militia. 

The  entire  British  force  on  the  northern  frontier  did  not 
exceed  three  thousand  men,  and  of  these  not  more  than  ona 
thousand  were  within  striking  distance  of  the  American 
army.  When  Dearborn  had  concentrated  his  troops  near 
the  lines  he  prepared  to  cross  into  Canada.  Ashe  approached 


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184 


LAKE  CHAUPLAm. 


Odletown,  Major  Salaberry,  who  commanded  in  that 
quarter,  sent  forward  two  companies  of  voltigeurs  and  three 
hundred  Indians  to  support  the  two  companies  of  embodied 
militia,  who  formed  the  British  outposts  on  the  La  Colle. 
Major  Sahiberry  followed,  the  next  day,  with  the  remainder 
of  the  voltigeurs  and  four  companies  of  chasseurs. 

Before  day-break  on  the  morning  of  the  20th,  a  detach- 
ment of  Dearborn's  army  forded  the  La  Colle  and  surround- 
ed the  guard-house  which  was  occupied  by  the  Canadian 
militia  and  a  few  Indians,  who  rushed  out,  broke  through 
the  American  lines  and  escaped  unhurt.  In  the  mean  time 
a  second  party  of  the  Americans  had  advanced,  and  com- 
menced a  sharp  fire  upon  those  in  possession  of  the  ground, 
mistaking  them  for  the  British  picket.  This  fire  continued 
for  nearly  half  an  hour,  when  being  undeceived,  the  two 
parties  united  and  hastily  retreated,  leaving  behind  them  five 
killed  and  aa  many  wounded. i  The  troops  immediately  after- 
ward returned  to  Champlain.  The  designs  of  the  American 
general  were  so  completely  obscured  that  no  one  discovered 
the  particular  advantages  intended  to  be  gained  by  this  sin- 
gular and  ineflSicient  movement.  It  was  a  prelude  to  many 
similar  military  operations  on  the  Champlain  frontier  during 
the  wkr. 

On  the  23d  of  September  the  army  returned  to  Platts- 
burgh,  where  the  6th,  15th  and  16th  regiments  went  into 
winter  quarters.  The  militia  were  disbanded  j  the  9th,  11th, 
21st  and  25th  regiments  were  sent  to  Burlington,  and  the  light 
artillery  and  dragoons  returned  to  Greenbush.  Brigadier 
General  Chandler  commanded  the  troops  left  at  Burlington, 
and  Colonel  Pike  those  stationed  at  Plattsburgh. 


1  Christie's  History  of  the  War  in  Canada.  General  Armstrong, 
then  United  States  secretary  of  war,  says  this  account  does  not 
differ  materially  from  those  given  by  the  American  officers. 


LAKE  CUAMPLAm. 


185 


On  the  23d  of  October  a  gallant  aflfair  took  place  at  St. 
Regis,  where  Major  Young  surprised  a  party  of  British,  and 
took  forty  prisoners.  IJut  the  campaign  of  1812  did  not  add 
to  the  lustre  of  the  American  arms.  On  the  Champlaia 
frontier  nothing  was  achieved  beyond  the  little  affair  at  St. 
Regis.  The  operations  on  the  Ontario  frontier  were  confined 
to  a  few  skirmishes,  the  defense  of  Fort  Niagara,  and  an 
unsuccessful  and  most  disastrous  assault  upon  Queenstown; 
while  the  incompetent  and  timid  Hull  surrendered  Detroit 
and  the  north-western  army,  without  a  battle,  or  any  effort 
to  maintain  the  honor  of  the  country. 

In  course  of  the  winter  preparations  were  made  for  the 
invasion  of  Upper  Canada.  The  two  brigades  stationed  on 
Lake  Champlain  moved  for  the  Ontario  frontier  in  February, 
leaving  a  small  detachment  at  Burlington  to  protect  the 
magazines  and  provisions  collected  there.  The  west  side  of 
the  lake  was  left  wholly  unprotected,  and  remained  so  until 
the  month  of  September  following. 

During  the  year  1811  a  very  active  trade  had  been  carried 
on  between  the  United  States  and  Canada.  The  value  of 
exports  for  that  year  from  the  district  of  Champlain,  which 
included  the  New  York  side  of  the  lake  only,  exceeded  half 
a  million  of  dollars,  of  which  four  hundred  and  fifty  thou- 
sand dollars  was  on  property  of  American  growth  and 
manufacture.  Among  the  articles  exported  were  1,513 
barrels  of  beef,  2,678  barrels  of  pork,  70,209  pounds  of 
butter,  53,049  pounds  of  cheese,  and  more  than  2,000  head 
of  cattle.  The  value  of  masts,  spars,  timber  and  sawed 
lumber  exported  exceeded  two  hundred  thousand  dollars. 
The  number  of  clearances  from  the  district,  between  the  10th 
of  April  and  the  10th  of  December,  was  one  hundred  and 
ninety.  Of  these  forty-two  were  rafts  and  the  remainder  sail 
vessels,  bateaux  and  row-boats.  A  steam -boat,  called  the 
Vermont,  made  one  trip  each  week  to  St.  Johns.'^ 


^  Tlio  Vermont  was  the  first  steam-boat  which  navigated  Lake 

24 


;iJi 

f  if 


186  LAKE  CnAMPLAIN. 

The  commencement  of  hostilities  between  the  United 
States  and  Great  Britain  broke  up  this  trade  with  Canada,  and 
again  put  in  motion  a  numerous  band  of  old  and  experienced 
smugglers  who  resided  along  the  frontier,  from  Lake  Mem- 
phremagog  to  the  River  St.  Lawrence.  The  collectors  used 
every  precaution  to  put  a  stop  to  the  illegal  practices  of  these 
people,  but  on  more  than  one  occasion  the  ingenuity  of  the 
smugglers  was  an  over  match  for  the  vigilance  of  the  officers. 
Small  row-boats  would  elude  the  revenue  cutters  in  the 
darkness  of  the  night,  and  pack  horses,  loaded  with  rich  and 
valuable  goods,  would  frequently  escape  through  the  thick 
woods  which  bounded  the  settlements  on  either  side  of  the 
lake. 

Among  the  many  contrivances  of  the  smugglers  to  escape 
detection  was  the  following.  John  Banker,  Jr.,  a  resident 
in  the  city  of  New  York,  who  had  obtained  from  the  collector 
of  that  port  a  commission  authorizing  him  to  fitout  a  privateer 
on  Lake  Champlain,  equipped  a  small  sail-boat  of  less  than 
one  ton  burthen,  which  he  called  the  Privateer  Lark,  and 
which  was  provided  with  an  armament  of  three  muskets. 
In  this  boat  the  Captain  cruised  around  the  lake,  threaten- 
ing vengeance  to  the  enemies  of  his  country.  Indeed  he 
carried  his  ardor  so  far  on  one  occasion  as  to  fire  into  the 
Essex  ferry-boat,  while  it  was  crossing  the  lake,  fifty  miles 
south  of  the  Canada  line.      After  a  profitless  cruise  in  the 


Champlain.  She  was  built  at  Burlington  by  Winans  and  Lough  in 
1808,  commenced  running  in  1809,  and  continued  in  service  for 
five  years.  The  following  vessels  were  cleared  at  the  Champlain 
custom  house  in  1811 :  schooner  Liberty,  Captain  T.  Babcock ; 
sloops,  Eagle,  S.  Boardman ;  Euretta,  John  Boynton ;  Jupiter, 
Justin  Smith ;  Hunter,  N.  Hinckley ;  Independence,  Z.  Manning ; 
Juno,  A.  Ferris ;  Champlain,  E.  Hurlbut ;  Essex,  A.  Rock ;  Rising 
Sun,  Elijah  Boynton ;  Mars,  T.  Clarke;  Enterprise,  E.  Bellamy; 
Lady  Washington,  R.  Jones ;  and  Richard,  Gideon  King. 


LJiKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


187 


vicinity  of  Burlington,  the  gallant  captain  would  run  down 
to  Rouse's  Point,  and  boldly  lay  at  anchor  upon  the  borders 
of  Canada,  until  some  hostile  barge  loaded  with  goods  should 
incautiously  run  within  range  of  his  muskets.  The  approach 
of  the  barge  was  the  signal  for  attack,  and  doubtless  many 
a  bloody  battle  would  have  been  fought  upon  the  quiet  waters 
of  House's  Point  Bay,  had  not  the  enemy  surrendered  at  the 
first  appearance  of  the  captain's  guns. 

The  property  thus  forcibly  captured  by  an  armed  privateer 
was  now  beyond  the  reach  of  the  revenue  officers.  Captain 
Banker's  next  step  was  to  a2)point  some  trusty  confederate 
as  prize  master,  in  whose  possession  he  placed  the  captured 
property,  with  written  instructions  to  deposit  it  in  the  govern- 
ment store  houses  at  New  York.  When  the  prize  master 
reached  New  York,  he  delivered  the  goods  to  the  owners  for 
whom  they  had  been  smuggled,  upon  receiving  the  stipulated 
price  of  transportation.  As  soon  as  the  government  officers 
ascertained  that  the  goods  did  not  reach  the  public  store 
houses,  they  seized  the  Lark,  and  thus  put  an  end  to  pri- 
vateering on  Lake  Champlain. 

Prior  to  the  commencement  of  the  war,  the  whole  naval 
force  on  Lake  Champlain  consisted  of  two  gun-boats,  which 
lay  at  Basin  Harbor,  on  the  Vermont  side  of  the  lake.  In 
the  course  of  the  summer  of  1812  two  small  sloops  were 
fitted  up  and  armed,  to  which  were  joined  four  scows, 
carrying  one  long  eighteen  pounder  each.  These  vessels 
constituted  the  whole  naval  force  of  the  Americans.  The 
British,  at  that  time,  had  no  vessels  on  the  lake,  nor  any  in 
the  Richelieu  larger  than  gun-boats. 

Late  in  the  fall  of  1812  Lieutenant  Thomas  Macdonough 
was  ordered  north  to  take  charge  of  the  naval  operations  on 
the  lake,  which  until  then  had  been  confided  to  Lieutenant 
Sidney  Smith. 1  . 


^  Mr.  Smith  was  Cth  lieutenant  on  board  of  the  Chesapeake  at 


';  ^^l 


,'  ■  ii 


188 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


Macdonough  brought  out  his  vessels  in  the  spring  of  lcl3 
as  soon  as  the  hike  was  free  from  ice.  The  American  flotilla 
at  this  time  consisted  of  the  sloop  President,  fitted  up  during 
the  winter,  which  was  commanded  by  Macdonough  in  person  j 
the  sloop  Growler,  Lieutenant  Smith,  and  the  sloop  Eagle, 
Mr.  Loomis.  About  the  first  of  June  Macdonough  received 
information  of  an  attack,  by  several  British  gun-boats,  upon 
some  small  craft  at  the  lower  end  of  the  lake.  In  consequence 
of  this  intelligence  he  ordered  Lieutenant  Smith  to  move 
towards  House's  Point,  with  the  Growler  and  Eaglo,  in  order 
to  attack  the  gun-boats,  should  they  again  make  their 
appearance.  Lieutenant  Smith  left  Plattsburgh  harbor  with 
his  vessels,  on  the  morning  of  the  2d  of  June,  and  about  dark 
cast  anchor  within  a  mile  of  the  lines.  The  next  morning, 
about  day  break,  he  got  under  way,  and  proceeded  down  the 
Ilichclieu  as  far  as  Ash  Island  (Isle  aux  Tetes),  where  he 
discovered  and  gave  chase  to  three  British  gun-boats.  The 
wind  was  blowing  fresh  from  the  south  at  the  time,  and  soon 
brought  the  sloops,  the  Growler  leading,  within  sight  of  the 
works  at  Isle  aux  Noix.  The  sloops  now  tacked  and  began 
to  beat  back  towards  the  open  lake,  having  the  wind  against 
them,  with  a  slight  adverse  current  in  the  river. 

As  soon  as  the  British  were  aware  of  the  advantages  theso 
circumstances  gave  them,  three  of  their  row-galleys  came 
out  from  under  the  works  at  Isle  aux  Noix,  and  opened  a 
brisk  fire  upon  the  sloops.     As   the  galleys  carried  long 


the  time  of  the  Leopard's  attack  upon  that  vessel,  in  June,  1807, 
and  on  the  return  of  the  Chesapeake  to  Hampton  Roads  joined  the 
other  officers  of  that  frigate  in  a  letter  to  the  secretary  of  the  navy, 
preferring  charges  against  Commodore  Barron,  and  requesting  a 
court  of  inquiry  upon  his  conduct.  He  afterwards  served  on  board 
the  U.  S.  ship  Wasp,  and  in  March,  1810,  was  ordered  to  Lake  Cham- 
plain,  where  he  remained  in  command,  until  the  arrival  of  Lieuten- 
ant Macdonough,  in  the  fall  of  1812.  He  married  a  daughter  of 
Judge  Bailey,  of  Plattsburgh,  and  died  a  commander,  in  1827. 


LAKE  CnAMPLAIN. 


189 


twenty-fours,  while  the  largest  guns  on  the  sloops  were 
cighteons,  the  former  were  able  to  select  their  own  di8tanco 
nor  could  the  latter  come  to  close  quarters  without  running 
within  range  of  the  fire  of  the  batteries  on  the  island.  To 
render  the  situation  of  the  sloops  still  more  critical,  the 
British  now  lined  the  woods  on  each  side  of  the  river,  and 
opened  upon  them  with  musketry.  This  fire  was  returned 
with  constant  discharges  of  grape  and  canister,  and,  in  this 
manner,  the  contest  was  continued  for  several  hours  with 
great  gallantry  on  both  sides.  About  four  hours  after  the 
commencement  of  the  action  a  shot  from  one  of  the  galleys 
struck  the  Eagle  under  her  starboard  quarter  and  passed 
out  on  the  other  side,  ripping  oiF  a  plank  under  water.  The 
sloop  went  down  almost  immediately,  but  fortunately  in  shoal 
water,  and  her  crew  were  taken  off  by  boats  sent  from  the 
shore;  soon  after  this  accident  the  Growler  had  her  fore 
stay  and  main  boom  shot  away,  when  she  became  unmanageable 
and  ran  ashore. 

In  this  engagement  the  Growler  had  one  killed  and  eight 
wounded,  and  the  Eagle  eleven  wounded,  including  the  pilot, 
Mr.  Graves.  The  whole  number  of  men  on  board  both 
vessels,  when  they  went  into  action,  was  one  hundred  and 
twelve,  including  Captain  Herrick  and  thirty.thrce  volunteers 
from  his  company.  The  officers  and  men  were  taken  pri- 
soners and  sent  to  Canada.  The  two  sloops,  having  been 
refitted,  were  transferred  to  the  British  service,  their  names 
being  changed  to  the  Finch  and  Chub,  and  were  subsequei  ;'\' 
recaptured  by  Macdonough  in  September,  1814.  The  log  • 
to  the  British,  in  this  engagement,  was  never  correctly 
ascertained.  It  must  have  been  very  severe,  however,  as  their 
forces  advanced  to  the  bank  of  the  river,  where,  destitute 
of  shelter,  they  received  broadside  after  broadside  of  canister 
and  grape.  A  sergeant  of  the  11th  regiment,  who  had 
volunteered  on  board  one  of  the  sloops,  and  who  was  paroled 


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190 


LAKE  CnAMPLAIN. 


on  account  of  his  wounds,  reported  that  he  counted  thirty  of 
the  enemy  dead  upon  one  small  spot.  ^ 

The  capture  of  the  Growler  and  Eagle  gave  to  the  British 
the  superiority  on  the  lake.  In  July  Macdonough  increased 
his  naval  force,  which  by  the  loss  of  the  Growler  and  Eagle 
had  been  reduced  to  one  sloop,  by  the  addition  of  six  gun- 
boats, and  by  the  20th  of  August  had  fitted  out  and  armed 
three  small  sloops,  mounting  together  28  guns.  This 
increased  the  American  force  on  the  lake  to  about  fifty  guns. 
In  the  official  returns  in  the  admiralty  office,  it  is  stated 
that  the  British  had  at  Isle  aux  Noix  or  8t.  Johns,  on  the 
24th  of  July,  two  sloops  of  eleven  guns  and  forty  men  each, 
and  three  gun-boats  of  twenty  men  each.  Other  accounts 
state  their  naval  force,  in  August,  at  three  sloops,  four  gun- 
boats and  three  row-galleys,  mounting  in  all  about  forty-two 
guns.  The  efficacy  of  this  arm  was  however  less  than  the 
number  of  guns  would  seem  to  indicate,  for  the  sloops,  on 
both  sides,  were  originally  built  and  used  in  the  transport 
service,  and  were  not  adapted  to  war  purposes. 

Before  the  American  flotilla  had  been  increased  by  the 
addition  of  the  thfee  sloops,  a  party  of  British,  under  Colonel 
Murray,  made  a  descent  upon  Plattsburgh,  and  destroyed  or 
took  away  a  large  amount  of  public  and  private  property. 
Although  this  was  in  fact  nothing  but  a  predatory  incursion, 
it  was  treated  by  the  English  at  the  time,  as  a  most  glorious 
achievement,  and  has  been  so  considered  by  their  historians 
up  to  the  present  day.  Mi.  Alison,  in  his  history  of  Europe, 
a  work  replete  with  errors  in  relation  to  the  military  opera- 
tions on  this  frontier  during  the  war  of  1812,  refers  to  the 
expedition,  and  says  that  "the  English  flotilla,  with  nine 
hundred  men   on  board,  stretched  across  the  lake,   took 


^  The  current  belief,  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  action,  was  that 
the  British  loss  exceeded  two  hundred,  but  this  was  probably  aa 
exaggeration. 


LAKE  CnAMPLAIX. 


191 


^v, 


Plattsburgh,  which  was  evacuated  by  twelve  hundred  Ameri- 
cana, without  tiring  a  sliot,  burned  part  of  the  naval  stores 
and  brought  away  the  rest,  and  also  destroyed  the  American 
naval  establishments  at(Jhamplain  and  Burlington." 

A  greater  uuiuber  of  errors  could  not  well  be  collected  in 
so  few  words.  Alison  has  overrated  the  number  of  Ameri- 
cans at  Plattsburgh,  diminished  the  actual  strength  of  the 
British,  and  misstated  every  circumstance  connected  with 
the  transaction.  The  force  under  Colonel  Murray  was  em- 
barked on  two  war  sloops,  three  gun-boats  and  forty-seven 
long-boats,  and  numbered  over  fourteen  hundred  men,  includ- 
ing infantry,  sailors  and  marines.  With  this  force  Murray 
crossed  the  lines  on  the  30th  of  July,  passed  Champlain, 
where  the  Americans  had  not  then,  nor  ever  had,  a  naval 
establishment,  and  on  the  afternoon  of  Saturday,  the  31st, 
arrived  at  Plattsburgh,  where  he  landed  without  opposition, 
and  began  a  work  of  destruction  which  continued  until  ten 
o'clock  of  the  next  day,  when  he  reiJmbarked  and  stood  out 
of  the  bay.  At  the  time  the  British  landed  there  were  no 
regular  troops  on  the  west  side  of  the  lake.  Major  General 
Hampton,  it  is  true,  was  at  Burlington  on  the  opposite  side, 
twenty  miles  distant,  with  between  three  and  four  thousand 
men  under  his  command,  but  from  some  unaccountable 
cause  he  made  no  attempt  to  cross  the  lake  or  to  protect 
the  village  of  Plattsburgh,  although  he  had  twenty-four 
hours  notice  of  the  intended  attack.  ^   While  the  British  were 


'  "I  could  not  persuade  myself  that  the  American  force  stationed 
at  Burlington,  of  4,000  effective  men,  within  twenty  miles  of  this 
place,  could  be  suffered  to  remain  idle  spectators  of  the  destruction 
of  the  public  property  and  of  this  village  by  comparatively  a  very 
small  British  force.  Messengers  were  repeatedly  sent  to  General 
Hampton  with  a  request  that  one  regiment  might  be  sent  here, 
but  to  no  effect.  It  is  a  fact,  that  from  the  Canada  line  to  the  south 
end  of  Lake  Champlain,  on  the  west  side,  there  is  not  a  military 
post  nor  a  soldier  to  he  aeen." —Peter  Sailly  Etq.,  to  Secretary  of 
Treasury,  August  4,  1813. 


^11 

t 

,    Is 


K  :u! 


I; 


!i 


192 


LAKE  cnAMPLAW. 


at  Plattflburgh,  about  three  hundred  militia  were  hastily 
collected,  hut  they  did  nut  uppruuch  the  villugo  until  tho 
enemy  hud  retired. 

When  Colonel  Murray  firnt  entered  tho  village  he  assured 
the  civil  authorities  that  private  property  should  be  rcMpcctcd, 
and  that  citizens,  not  in  arms,  should  remain  unmolested. 
These  promises  wore,  however,  most  shamefully  violated, 
for  tho  liritish,  not  Hutistied  with  destroying  the  block-house, 
arsenal,  armory  and  hospital  in  the  village,  and  tho  military 
cantonment  near  Frcdcnburgh  Fulls,  two  miles  above,  wan- 
tonly  burned  three  private  store  houses,  took  possession  of 
about  two  thousand  dollars  worth  of  hardware  belonging 
to  merchants  of  tho  city  of  Boston,  and  plundered  several 
private  dwellings,  destroying  furniture  and  such  urticlcs  as 
they  could  not  use  or  curry  uway.  The  value  of  the  private 
property  plundered  exceeded  eight  thousand  dollars. 
Inventories  of  this  property  were  prepared  and  published  at 
tho  time,  and  include  long  lists  of  furuiture,  books,  clothing, 
cooking  utensils,  groceries  and  dry  goods.  Soldiers  would 
break  into  private  dwellings  and  bear  oflP  buck  loads  of 
property  to  the  boats  in  the  presence  of  British  officers,  who, 
when  remonstrated  with  by  tho  plundered  citizens,  replied 
that  they  could  not  prevent  it,  as  the  men  did  not  belong  to 
their  company.*  The  value  of  the  public  property  destroyed 
was  estimated  at  twenty-five  thousand  dollars. 

Colonel  Murray,  having  accomplished  tho  work  of 
destruction,  retired  in  great  haste,  leaving  behind  him  a 


1  It  appears  by  the  inventories  of  plundered  property,  published 
at  the  time,  that  Judge  De  Lord  lost  $1,070.18  ;  Peter  Sailly  Esq., 
$887.77;  besides  two  storehouses  burned  and  valued  at  $900; 
Judge  Palmer,  $380.50;  Doctor  Miller,  $1,200;  Bostwick  Buck, 
$150;  Jacob  Ferris,  $700;  several  smaller  amounts  were  lost  by 
other  citizens.  A  store  house  belonging  to  major  Piatt  ivas  also 
burned  at  the  time. 

..  ■       ^  \ 


■■~"--'-^'*—'*^-*^-'-^''-  .^^■^-^-' 


-. i  ■■  r  [iii-li'ri-iiii-illi.iirr --••■■Tr-^^-^'*-'-i 


LAKE  cnAMPLAIK. 


193 


picket  guard  of  twenty-one  men,  who  were  made  prisoners 
and  Hcnt  tu  liurlington.  The  long-boats  and  two  of  the 
gun-bouts  then  proceeded  to  Swanton,  Vt.,  where  the  men 
burned  some  old  barracks,  and  plundered  several  citizens  of 
th  .  place.  On  their  way  they  landed  at  Cumberland  Head 
and  I^oint  au  llocho,  and  pillaged  the  houses  and  farms  of 
Henry  W.  Brand,  Judge  Treadwoll  and  Jeremiah  8towe. 
They  also  burned  a  store  at  Chazy  Landing  belonging  to 
Judge  Saxe.  The  two  sloops  and  the  other  gun-boat,  after 
leaving  Plattsburgh,  stood  for  the  south  and  sailed  ten  or 
twelve  miles  above  Burlington,  when  they  returned  towards 
Canada.  As  the  vessels  passed  Burlington  they  fired  a  few 
shots  at  the  place,  but  bore  away  as  soon  as  the  batteries  on 
shore  began  to  play  upon  them.  While  on  the  lake  the 
British  took  or  destroyed  eight  or  ten  long-boats  engaged 
in  the  transportation  business,  and  captured  a  Durham  boat 
loaded  with  flour. 

While  Colonel  Murray  was  at  Plattsburgh  he  dropped  a 
letter  from  his  hat,  which  was  afterwards  picked  up,  and 
found  to  contain  information  as  to  the  best  mode  of  attack 
on  Plattsburgh,  together  with  a  map  of  the  encampment  and 
miltary  works  at  Burlington.  A  few  days  afterwards  the 
person  who  wrote  the  letter  was  arrested  on  a  charge  of 
high  treason  and  sent  to  Albany  for  safe  keeping. 


\ 


III 


*■,;! 


I 

J.  I 

t 


25 


1  /  ' 


m 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Flanofthe  Campaign  ofl813—Hampton  at  La  Colle  and  Chatcangay— Colonel 
Clark  at  MIsbIsco  Bay— Skirmishes  — Operations  on  the  Lake— Dispute 
between  the  Vermont  Volunteers  and  Governor  Chittenden— Failure  of  tho 
Campaign  of  1813— Battle  of  La  Colle  Mill -British  attack  the  Works  near 
Otter  Creek— Operations  during  the  Summer— Death  of  Colonel  Forsythe 
—Izard  ordered  to  the  West  — Condition  of  Affairs  after  his  Departure. 

In  July,  1813,  Major  General  James  Wilkinson  assumed 
tlie  command  of  the  northern  department.  About  the  same 
time,  the  American  secr'>tary  of  war,  Mr.  Armstrong,  repaired 
to  Sackett's  Harbor  to  supervise  the  military  operations  on 
the  Ontario  frontier.  The  plan  of  the  secretary  contemplated 
a  descent  upon  Kingston,  and  a  subsequent  movement  down 
the  St.  Lawrence.  A  large  force  was  also  collected  at  Bur- 
lington, on  Lake  Champlain,  which  was  placed  under  the 
immediate  command  of  Major  General  Hampton. 

About  the  1st  of  September  Hampton  was  directed  to 
move  towards  the  British  posts  on  the  Richelieu,  in  order 
to  create  a  diversion  in  favor  of  the  western  army,  and  to 
cooperate,  if  necessary,  with  Wilkinson  in  an  attack  upon 
Montreal.  The  American  troops,  numbering  about  four 
thousand  men,  were  immediately  concentrated  at  Cumberland 
Head,  where  they  were  joined  by  a  body  of  New  York  militia, 
who  had  been  called  into  service  by  Governor  Tompkins.  On 
the  19th  the  infantry  and  light  troops  moved  from  Cumber- 
land Head  in  boats,  flanked  on  the  right  by  Macdonough's 
flotilla,  and  at  twelve  o'clock  at  night  reached  Chazy  Land- 
ing. The  next  morning  they  entered  the  Big  Chazy  River, 
and  disembarked  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids,  near  the  village 
of  Champlain,  where  they  were  joined  by  a  squadron  of  horse 


^ 


V 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


195 


and  two  companies  of  artillery.  The  same  day  the  army 
moved  north  as  far  as  Odletown,  in  Canada.  Hampton 
remained  one  day  in  Canada,  when  learning  that  the  springs 
and  streams,  in  the  direction  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  had  been 
dried  up  by  an  unusual  drought,  he  determined  to  change 
his  route,  and  to  approach  Montreal  by  the  way  of  Cha- 
teaugay. 

On  the  21st  the  army  returned  to  Champlain,  and  on  the 
evening  of  the  24th  reached  Chateaugay  Four  Corners, 
where  they  remained  inactive  for  twenty-six  days.  On  the 
16th  of  October  Mr.  Armstrong  was  at  Sackett's  Harbor, 
debating  whether  he  should  attack  Kingston,  or  make  an 
immediate  descent  upon  Montreal.  Hampton  was  ordered 
to  advance  to  the  mouth  of  the  Chateaugay  River,  or  to 
some  other  convenient  point  on  the  St.  Lawrence,  from 
which  an  easy  and  direct  communication  could  be  opened 
between  the  two  armies.  In  pursuance  of  this  order,  he 
entered  Canada  on  the  21st,  and  the  next  day  encamped  on 
the  Chateaugay,  at  a  point  about  twenty  miles  below  the 
Four  Corners.  There  he  remained  until  the  20th,  when 
he  planned  an  expedition  against  a  small  body  of  British 
troops  who  were  stationed  about  six  miles  below.  The  ex- 
pedition failed,  and  Hampton  returned  to  the  Four  Corners, 
with  a  loss  of  thirty-five  men  in  killed  and  wounded.  A  few 
days  afterwards  he  broke  up  his  camp  and  returned  to 
Plattsburgh,  where  the  army  was  ordered  into  winter 
quarters. 

While  the  army  lay  at  Chateaugay,  Colonel  Isaac  Clark,* 
who  commanded  a  detachment  of  troops  stationed  at  Cham- 
plain  village,  was  ordered  "  to  commence  a  petty  war  near 
Lake  Champlain."     "  What  I  am  aiming  at,"  writes  Han:  )- 


'Colonel  Clark  served  in  the  revolutionary  war.  He  was  a 
lieutenant  in  Captain  Ebenezer  Allen's  company,  and  took  part 
in  the  surprise  of  Mount  Defiance,  in  September,  1777. 


H  ' 


li 


f; 


1 


t 


196 


LAKE  CBAMPLAIN. 


\i\ 


ton,  "  is  tranquility  on  the  road,  by  kicking  up  a  dust  on 
the  lines."~  A  better  officer  than  Clark,  to  accomplish  this 
object,  could  not  have  been  selected.  He  had  served  with 
Herrick's  rangers  in  the  revolution,  and  was  well  skilled 
in  border  warfare. 

On  the  evening  of  the  11th  of  October  Clark  crossed  the 
lake  with  one  hundred  and  ten  men,  a  part  of  whom  belonged 
to  the  rifle  corps,  and  early  the  next  morning  reached  the 
village  of  Missisco  Bay,  where  a  small  party  of  British  were 
stationed,  under  command  of  Major  Powell.  Clark  placed 
himself  at  the  head  of  the  rifles,  and  advanced  at  double 
quick  time  until  he  met  the  main  body  of  the  enemy,  who 
had  been  hastily  drawn  up  near  the  guard  house.  Directing 
his  men  to  halt,  he  approached  the  British  and  ordered  them 
to  lay  down  their  arms.  Major  Powell  advanced  and  at- 
tempted to  speak,  but  Clark  sternly  ordered  him  to  remain 
silent  and  march  "  to  the  rear  of  the  American  line."  The 
boldness  of  the  order,  and  the  confident  tone  in  which  it 
was  given,  induced  the  major  to  believe  that  the  rifles 
were  supported  by  a  large  force,  and  he  instantly  obeyed. 
Clark  ordered  his  men  to  advance  against  the  main  body, 
who,  under  command  of  their  captain,  was  preparing  to  charge. 
A  volley  from  the  riflemen  struck  down  the  captain  and 
several  men,  when  the  rest  threw  down  their  arms  and  sur- 
rendered themselves  as  prisoners  of  war.  Captain  Finch 
was  now  sent  forward  to  watch  a  force  of  two  hundred  British, 
who  were  advancing  under  Colonel  Lock.  Finch  proceeded 
with  such  promptness  and  secrecy,  as  to  surprise  an  advance 
guard  of  cavalry,  except  one  man  who  escaped  and  gave 
information  of  the  approach  of  the  Americans,  when  Colonel 
Lock  immediately  retreated  with  the  rest  of  his  command. 
The  loss  of  the  British  in  these  attacks  was  nine  killed  and 


'Letter  to  secretary  of  war,  October  4th,  1813. 


\ 


LAKE  CBAMPLAIN.  ^Q^ 

fourteen  wounded.    One  hundred  and  one  prisoners  were 
taken  by  Clark  and  sent  to  Burlington. 

During  the  autumn  of  this  year  a  slight  skirmishing  war 
was  carried  on  between  the  American  and  British  picket 
guards,  which  kept  the  frontier  in  a  state  of  excitement  and 
alarm,  without,  however,  doing  much  injury  to  either  party. 
Upon  one  occasion,  about  the  1st  of  October,  a  small  party 
of  New  York  militia  crossed  the  lines  and  attacked  a  picket 
guard  stationed  at  Odletown,  within  the  district  under  com- 
mand of  Major  Perreault  of  the  Canadian  detached  volunteers 
The  audacity  of  this  act  excited  the  ire  of  the  Canadian 
officer,  who,  in  retaliation,  discharged  a  gasconade  at  the 
whole  town  of  Champlain. 

"  Citizens  of  Champlain  ! "  exclaimed  the  indignant 
major,  "  I  am  happy  that  humanity  should  still  have  so  much 
power  over  me  as  to  inform  you  that,  should  any  of  the  mili- 
tia of  Champlain  be  found  hovering  this  side  of  the  lice, 
I  will  let  loose  upon  your  village  and  inhabitants  the  Cana- 
dian and  Indian  force  under  my  command.  You  are  probably 
aware  that  it  has  been  with  the  greatest  difficulty  I  have  till 
now  withheld  them.  But  your  cowardly  attack  at  midnight, 
of  a  small  picket  of  our's,  has  torn  asunder  the  veil  which 
hid  you  from  them  —  so  beviare  .'"  This  message  was  enclosed 
in  a  note  to  Judge  Moore,  with  a  request  that  he  would 
acquaint  the  people  with  "  the  tenor  of  the  humane  advertise- 
ment." Judge  Moore  preformed  his  duty,  but  the  militia 
were  obdurate. 

As  soon  as  the  army  had  retired  into  winter  quarters 
Hampton  repaired  to  Washington,  leaving  General  Izard  in 
command  at  Plattsburgh,  and  General  Parker  at  Burlington. 
Izard  was  soon  afterwards  ordered  to  join  Wilkinson^  who, 
on  Hampton's  return  to  Plattsburgh,  had  gone  into  winter 
quarters  at  French  Mills.  On  the  departure  of  Izard's 
brigade,  the  frontier  on  the  western  side  of  the  lake  was 


■m 


1    ■ 
i 


U 


k; 


■  / 


:    5 

:  .i 


J98  LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 

again  left  unprotected.  About  the  middle  of  December,  a 
strong  detachment  of  British  troops  under  command  of  Cap- 
tain Barker  of  the  frontier  light  infantry,  crossed  the  lines 
into  Vermont  and  destroyed  some  public  store  houses  and 
barracks  which  had  been  erected  at  Derby.  This  attack, 
and  the  threatening  movements  of  the  British  forces  sta- 
tioned along  the  Richelieu,  induced  the  magistrates  of 
Plattsburgh  to  address  a  letter  to  General  Wilkinson,  who 
was  then  at  French  Mills,  in  which  they  represented  the 
exposed  condition  of  the  public  property,  and  their  appre- 
hension that  another  invasion  might  soon  be  expected,  unless 
a  strong  force  was  stationed  on  the  west  side  of  the  lake.  As 
soon  as  Wilkinson  received  this  letter  he  ordered  a  company 
of  dragoons  to  Plattsburgh  from  Burlington,  and  a  detach- 
ment of  infantry  from  Chateaugay  Four  Corners.  The  infantry 
reached  Plattsburgh  on  8th  of  January,  having  made  a  forced 
march  of  forty  miles  that  day.  Other  detachments  of  troops 
soon  afterwards  arrived,  and  on  the  10th  Wilkinson  repaired 
to  Plattsburgh  in  person.  The  camp  at  French  Mills  was 
broken  up,  and  all  the  magazines  and  provisions  forwarded 
to  Lake  Champlain. 

The  operations  on  the  lake,  during  the  autumn  of  1813, 
were  of  little  importance.  The  British  flotilla  remained  in 
the  Richelieu,  while  the  American  vessels  rode  quietly  at 
anchor  on  the  lake.  About  the  1st  of  December  Macdon- 
ough  moved  to  King's  Bay  and  anchored  under  Point  au 
Fer.  A  few  days  after  his  arrival  at  that  place.  Captain 
Pring  entered  the  lake  with  six  armed  galleys,  landed  at 
Rouse's  Point,  and  burned  a  small  shed  there,  which  had 
been  used  as  a  public  store  house.  As  soon  as  Macdonough 
received  information  of  the  approach  of  the  British  galleys, 
he  weighed  anchor,  and  it  being  calm  at  the  time,  attempted 
to  work  out  of  the  bay  with  sweeps.  At  the  same  time  he 
sent  Lieutenant  Cassin  forward  with  four  row-galleys,  with 


LAKE  CEAMPLAIN.  "j^ 

orders  to  bring  the  enemy  into  action,  and  thus  detain  them 
until  the  sloops  could  get  up.  The  British,  however,  refused 
to  engage,  and  Lieutenant  Cassin  returned  after  an  unavail- 
ing pursuit  of  three  miles.i 

Sir  George  Provost  gives  a  different  and  erroneous  account 
of  this  trifling  affair.  In  a  letter  to  Earl  Bathurst,  under 
date  of  December  12th,  he  says:  "  A  division  of  gun-boats, 
with  a  detachment  of  troops,  which  I  had  ordered,  on  the 
Ist  of  the  month,  to  advance  into  Lake  Champlain,  for  the 
purpose  of  molesting  General  Hampton's  division,  succeeded 
in  burning  an  extensive  building  lately  erected  at  Platts- 
burgh,  as  a  depot  magazine;  some  bateaux,  together  with 
the  ammunition,  provisions  and  stores  found  in  it,  were  either 
brought  away  or  destroyed.  The  severity  of  the  weather 
obliged  Captain  Pring,  of  the  royal  navy,  under  whose 
command  I  had  placed  the  expedition,  to  return  to  Isle 
aux  Noix  on  the  5th."  Sir  George  was  evidently  misin- 
formed as  to  the  facts,  by  the  officer  in  command  of  tho 
expedition. 

The  "extensive  building  lately  erected  at  Plattsburghaa 
a  depot  magazine,"  was  a  small  shed  near  the  lake  shore  at 
Champlain  Landing,  which  had  formerly  been  in  public  use, 
and  the  smoke  from  which  gave  the  first  information  to  Mac- 
donough  of  the  enemy's  approach.  A  few  days  after  this 
affair  the  ice  blocked  up  the  narrow  channel  below  Rouse's 
Point,  when  Macdonough  withdrew  his  vessels  and  laid 
them  up  for  the  winter  in  Otter  Creek. 

In  November  of  this  year  a  dispute  arose  between  Gov- 
ernor Chittenden  of  Vermont,  and  some  of  the  citizens  of 
that  state,  involving  the  right  of  the  militia,  in  certain  cases, 
to  pass  without  the  territorial  limits  of  their  own  state. 
The  governor,  in  his  annual  message,  had  taken  strong 


1 


^  Maodonougli  to  Becretary|of  navy,  December  5th,  1813. 


200  LAKB  CHAMPLAm. 

grounds  against  the  war,  which  he  considered  "  doubtful  as 
to  its  necessity,  expediency  or  justice."  He  also  declared 
that  the  militia  were  exclusively  assigned  for  the  service  and 
protection  of  the  respective  states,  except  in  the  cases  provided 
for  by  the  national  constitution.  That  it  was  never  intended 
that  they  should,  "  by  any  kind  of  magic,"  be  at  once 
transformed  into  a  regular  army  for  the  purpose  of  foreign 

iiquest,  and  ho  regretted  that  a  construction  should  have 
been  given  to  the  constitution,  "  so  peculiarly  burdensome 
and  oppressive  to  that  important  class  of  our  fellow  citizens." 

In  opposition  to  these  friendly  suggestions,  a  portion  of  the 
militia,  under  Lieutenant  Colonel  Luther  Dixon,  crossed  the 
lake  and  placed  themselves  under  the  orders  of  General 
Hampton.  This  movement  called  forth  a  proclamation  from 
the  governor,  in  which  he  ordered  the  militia  to  return  and 
hold  themselves  in  readiness  to  act  under  the  orders  of  Brig- 
adier General  Davis,  who  had  been  appointed  to  the  command 
of  their  brigade.  "The  military  strength  and  resources 
of  the  state,"  says  Governor  Chittenden,  "  must  be  reserved 
for  its  own  defense  and  protection,  exclusively^  except  in  cases 
provided  for  by  the  constitution  of  the  United  States,  and 
then  under  orders  derived  only  from  the  commander-in- 
chief." 

The  proclamation  was  distributed  among  the  volunteers, 
who  were  men  stationed  at  Plattsburgh,  and  created  great 
excitement  with  both  the  officers  and  men.  The  agent,  by 
whom  it  had  been  circulated,  was  arrested  and  held  to  bail, 
in  a  large  amount,  for  his  appearance  before  the  United 
States  district  court.  The  officers  also  published  a  reply 
to  the  proclamation,  in  which,  in  very  plain  terms,  they 
informed  the  governor  that  they  should  not  obey  his  orders, 
but  should  remain  in  service  until  regularly  discharged.  In 
this  reply  they  say :  "  If  it  is  true,  as  your  excellency  states, 
that  we  are  out  of  the  jurisdiction  or  control  of  the  execu- 


h 


LAKE  CHAMPLAm. 


201 


tive  of  Vermont,  we  would  ask  from  whence  your  excellency 
derives  the  right,  or  presumes  to  exercise  (he  power  of 
ordering  us  to  return  from  the  service  in  which  we  are  en- 
gaged ?  If  we  are  legally  ordered  into  the  service  of  the 
United  States,  your  excellency  must  be  sensible  that  you 
have  no  authority  to  order  us  out  of  that  service.  If  we  are 
illegally  ordered  into  the  service,  our  continuance  in  it  is 
either  voluntary  or  compulsory.  If  voluntary,  it  gives  no 
one  a  right  to  remonstrate  or  complain ;  if  compulsory,  we 
can  appeal  to  the  laws  of  our  country  for  redress  against 
those  who  illegally  restrain  us  of  our  liberty.  In  either 
case  we  cannot  perceive  the  right  your  excellency  has  to 
interfere  in  the  business." 

This  was  pretty  sharp  firing  and  effectually  silenced  the 
governor's  batteries.  The  brigade  remained  at  Plattsburgh 
until  it  became  known  that  the  contemplated  invasion  of 
Canada  had  been  abandoned  for  the  winter,  when  the  volun- 
teers returned  to  Vermont,  and  probably  put  themselves 
"  under  the  command  of  Brigadier  General  Davis." 

The  campaign  of  1813  was  directed  towards  the  important 
military  posts  on  Lake  Ontario  and  the  St.  Lawrence  River. 
It  commenced  with  bright  prospects  of  success,  but  failed 
through  the  imbecility  of  the  officers  who  had  been  called 
to  the  head  of  the  army.  The  people  were  deeply  disappointed 
at  the  result.  They  had  placed  great  confidence  in  their 
commanding  generals,  whose  numerous  dispatches  were 
written  in  a  lofty  style,  and  were  filled  with  predictions  of 
most  brilliant  victories.  "  I  am  destined  to  and  determined 
on  the  attack  of  Montreal,  if  not  prevented  by  some  act  of 
God,"  cries  Wilkinson,  on  the  6th  of  November,  from  the 
head  of  an  army  of  8,000  men.i  '*  The  Kubicon  is  now 
passed,  and  all  that  remains  is  to  push  forward  to  the  capitol," 


1  Letter  to  Qeneral  Hampton. 

a6 


fm 


\'i'.    *  ^* 


l\ 


202 


LAKE  CHAMPLAm. 


is  the  bold  declaration  of  Hampton. i  Vain  and  empty 
boasting!  Tv,  ?  weeks  later  the  one  was  quietly  settled  at 
Plattsburgh,  and  the  other  was  building  winter  quarters  at 
French  Mills  and  Chateaugay. 

The  campaign  of  1813  is  closed.  General  Wilkinson 
attributed  its  failure  to  the  refusal  of  Hampton  to  join  him 
at  St.  Regis,  on  the  St.  Lawrence.  He  declared  that  by  a 
junction  of  the  two  armies  he  could  have  secured  Mont- 
real within  eight  or  ten  days,  "  It  is  a  ftict,"  he  writes  the 
secretary  of  war,  "  for  which  I  am  authorized  to  pledge  myself, 
on  the  most  confidential  authority,  that  on  the  4lh  of  the 
present  mouth  (November),  the  British  garrison  of  3Iontreal 
consisted  solely  of  four  hundred  marines  and  two  hundred 
sailors,  which  had  been  sentup  from  Quebec.  What  a  golden, 
glorious  opportunity  has  been  lost  by  the  caprice  of  Major 
General  Hampton."- 

General  Hampton,  on  the  contrary,  censured  Wilkinson 
for  desiring  a  junction  of  the  two  armies,  with  the  scanty 
supply  of  provisions  witliiu  reach  of  St.  Regis.  He  con- 
tended that  to  have  moved  forward,  with  the  4,000  troops 
under  his  command,  would  have  seriously  weakened,  if  it 
did  not  destroy  both  armies.  That  his  true  course  was  to 
throw  himself  upon  his  main  depots  at  Plattsburgh,  and  from 
that  point  to  open  a  communication  direct  to  Caughnawagaj 
which  would  relieve  the  western  army,  and  at  the  same  time 
retain  all  the  benefits  to  be  expected  from  a  junction  at  St. 
Regis.3  *  ;    "  , 


1  Letter  to  secretary  of  war,  Nov.  12. 

'A  glorious  opportunity  indeed,  for  two  large  armies  to  capture 
six  hundred  men! 

'  About  one  month  prior  to  this  time  Hampton  attempted  this 
very  route,  and  backed  out  before  he  had  penetrated  four  miles 
into  Canada.  Referring  to  the  dispatches  of  the  two  northern 
commanders,  Mr.  Niles,  in  his  register,  exclaims:     «The  cacoethes 


LAKE  CUAMPLAIN. 


203 


In  December  Geuoral  Hampton  was  withdrawn  fro  a  the 
frontier,  but  General  Wilkinson  retained  his  command  until 
after  the  unsuccessful  attack  upon  a  grist-mill  in  La  Collo, 
when  he  too  was  ordered  to  head  quarters.  The  assault  on 
the  La  (!ollo  mill  was  made  on  the  30th  of  March,  1814. 
About  the  first  of  that  month  Major  Forsyth  had  been  sent 
to  the  lines,  near  Champlain,  with  300  riflemen  and  GO  dra- 
goons to  protect  the  frontier,  and  to  break  up  an  illicit 
intercourse  which  had  been  carried  on  with  the  enemy  during 
the  winter.  Detachments  had  also  been  sent  to  the  Vermont 
frontier,  under  command  of  General  Macomb  and  Colonel 
Clark,  for  a  similar  purpose.  About  the  same  time  General 
Wilkinson  examined  the  country  around  House's  Point, 
with  a  view  to  the  erection  of  batteries  there,  which  should 
command  the  outlet  of  the  lake  and  blockade  the  Uritish 
flotilla  within  the  llichelieu. 

These  movements  alarmed  the  British,  who  hastened  to 
strengthen  their  military  posts  in  the  vicinity  of  House's 
Point.  Major  Hancock,  of  the'  13th,  occupied  La  Colle 
with  six  hundred  men,  and  the  forts  at  St.  Johns  and  Isle 
aux  Noix  were  garrisoned  by  about  two  thousand  men,  under 
command  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  Williams  of  the  same  regi- 
ment. When  Wilkinson  learned  that  the  British  force  near 
the  lines  had  been  increased,  he  ordered  the  troops  stationed 
at  Plattsburgh  to  be  advanced  to  Champlain,  where  he  also 
directed  Macomb  and  Clark  to  concentrate  their  respective 
commands.  On  the  20th  of  Jlarch  four  thousand  men 
were  collected  at  Champlain,  of  whom  100  were  cavalry 
and  304  artillerists.  The  latter  had  with  them  eleven  pieces 
of  cannon  of  small  calibre.  Wilkinson  now  planned  an 
attack  against  Major  Hancock,  who  occupied  a  grist-mill  on 


acribendi  again  rages  with   singular  violence  in  the  army,   with 
symptoms  fatal  to  gallons  of  ink  and  hundreds  of  goose  quills !" 


I   : 


I 


1 


204 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


the  banks  of  the  La  GoUe  river,  about  five  miles  north  of 
the  lines. 

On  the  morning  of  the  30th  the  American  army  marched 
out  of  Champlain,  upon  the  Odletown  road.  The  advance 
guard  was  composed  of  the  rifles  under  Major  Forsyth,  and 
the  30th  and  81st  and  part  of  the  11th  infantry,  under  Col- 
onel Clark;  in  all  about  600  men.  They  were  followed  by 
two  corps  of  infantry,  under  Brigadier  Generals  Bissell  and 
Smith.  A  reserve  of  800  men,  under  General  Macomb, 
brought  up  the  rear.  The  roads  ut  this  time  were  obstructed 
by  fallen  trees  and  by  heavy  drifts  of  snow,  and  were  nearly 
impassable  for  artillery.  The  guides,  too,  were  ignorant  of 
the  country,  and  led  the  army  off  from  the  main  road  into 
a  very  narrow  and  crooked  winter  path,  leading  from  Odle- 
town  to  La  CoUe.  On  the  way  to  La  CoUe,  Bissell's  corps 
was  attacked  by,  and  after  a  short  skirmish  repulsed  a  party 
of  Canadian  militia,  who  had  been  stationed  as  a  picket  on 
the  main  road  at  Odletown. 

The  La  Colle  mill,  against  which  the  Americans  were 
now  advancing,  was  a  strong  stone  building.  The  walls  had 
been  braced  on  the  inside  with  heavy  timbers,  the  windows 
closed  up,  and  port  holes  made  in  every  direction,  for  the 
fire  of  musketry.  A  small  clearing,  of  from  one  to  two 
hundred  yards  in  width  on  each  side  of  the  river,  surrounded 
the  mill.  The  woods  adjacent  were  of  small  growth  but 
very  thick.  The  river,  at  the  mill,  was  frozen  over,  but 
below  it  was  open  to  its  mouth.  The  Bichelieu  was  also 
open  from  the  mouth  of  the  La  Colle  to  Isle  aux  Noix. 

The  American  troops  did  not  reach  the  ground  until  be- 
tween one  and  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  when  a  portion 
of  Bissell's  brigade  took  a  position  to  the  south  of  the  build- 
ing and  commenced  the  attack,  which  for  the  first  half  hour 
was  confined  to  a  fire  of  musketry.  Major  McPherson  then 
brought  up  a  twelve  pounder,  which  he  planted  about  two 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN.  205 

hundred  and  fifty  yards  to  the  south  of  the  mill.  With  this 
gun  a  brisk  but  ineffectual  fire  was  directed  against  the 
rear  of  the  building,  and  afterwards  against  the  side  wall. 

When  it  was  ascertained  that  the  gun  was  too  light  to 
break  down  the  walls,  orders  were  given  to  bring  up  an 
eighteen  pounder,  but  its  carriage  had  broken  down,  threo 
miles  buck,  and  could  not  be  repaired  in  time  to  be  of  ser- 
vice during  the  day.  The  cannonade  upon  the  mill  was 
returned  by  a  brisk  discharge  of  musketry,  which  was  kept 
up  during  the  whole  attack,  but  did  little  damage,  as  the 
American  troops  were  posted  out  of  range  of  the  fire.  In 
the  course  of  the  afternoon  an  unsuccessful  assault  was  made 
upon  a  detachment  of  Americans  who  guarded  the  north 
banks  of  the  La  Colle,  by  two  companies  of  the  13th  Regi- 
ment, sent  from  Isle  aux  Noix  to  reinforce  the  garrison  in  the 
mill.  While  these  companies  were  engaged  a  sortie  was 
made  against  the  centre  of  the  American  line.  The  attack 
was  executed  with  great  gallantry  but  did  not  succeed, 
although  the  artillery  were  driven  from  the  gun,  which  would 
have  been  captured  had  not  a  portion  of  General  Bissell's 
brigade  been  sent  to  its  rescue.  A  short  time  afterwards 
another  attack  was  made  upon  the  gun  by  a  grenadier  com- 
pany of  the  Canadian  fencibles  and  a  company  of  voltigeurs, 
who  had  followea  the  movement  of  the  troops  from  the 
Odletown  road.  This  attack  was  also  unsuccessful.  The  two 
companies,  however,  succeeded  in  gaining  a  block  house 
which  stood  below  the  mill.  The  loss  of  the  Americans  in 
these  attacks  was  104  killed  and  wounded,  while  that  of  the 
British  was  reported  by  them  at  ten  killed  and  forty-six 
wounded.  Among  the  wounded  on  the  side  of  the  Ameri- 
cans were  Captain  McPherson  and  Lieutenant  Larabee  of 
the  artillery,  Lieutenants  Green  and  Parker  of  the  infantry 
and  Lieutenant  Kerr  of  the  rifles.  Lieutenant  Parker  was 
struck  by  a  random  shot.    He  survived  his  wounds  for  several 


^i 


i  t 


1 1 
II 


2QQ  LAKE  CIIAMPLAIN. 

dii^R,  nnd  oxprosflod  a  most  Binccro  rcgrot  that  he  had 
not  fullca  in  eloso  action  :  "  Hard  in  my  lot,"  ho  oxcluiincd, 
"  that  I  (tliuuld  hiivo  received  this  wound  ut  Huch  u  dJHtunuo 
from  the  enemy,  oiul  where  I  was  wholly  inactive."  (Japtain 
McPhcrHon,  on  the  contrary,  was  wounded  while  ii;rhting 
at  the  head  of  his  men,  and,  at  the  time,  was  not  expected 
to  recover.  As  they  were  bearing  him  from  the  field,  several 
officers  offered  their  personal  services  to  carry  him  to 
IMattsburgh.  The  gallant  captain  paused  a  few  moments, 
and  then,  thanking  them  for  the  interest  and  regard  they  had 
manifested,  added  "  I  shall  be  sufficiently  honored  when  you 
boar  me  to  my  grave."  The  same  spirit  of  firmness  was  shown 
by  the  other  officers,  and  by  the  wounded  and  bleeding 
privates.  Lieut.  Larabee,  when  some  persona  were  pitying 
his  misfortune,  as  he  was  passing  to  the  rear  of  the  field, 
exclaimed,  "  Have  you  never  seen  a  man  die  ?"  A  private, 
on  receiving  similar  sympathy,  cried,  "  Never  mind  it,  I'll 
give  them  another  fight !"  Another  private,  when  struck 
down,  cried  out,  "  Give  it  to  them,  my  boys,  never  flinch  !" 
At  the  commencement  of  the  assault  a  few  cannon  shots 
and  several  rockets  were  fired  from  a  sloop  and  from  some 
gun-boats  lying  in  the  river  below,  but  the  fire  was  not  con- 
tinued, as  it  was  soon  ascertained  that  the  American  troops 
were  perfectly  protected  by  the  intervening  ground,  i  About 
sundown  Wilkinson  called  in  the  detachments  which  had 
been  sent  to  the  north  side  of  the  river,  and  shortly  after- 
wards retired  with  the  whole  army  to  Odletown.  The  next 
day  he  returned  to  Champlain.  From  this  place  General 
Macomb  was  sent  to  Burlington,  while  the  main  army  fell 


1  Late  in  the  day,  Lieutenant  Creswick,  of  tLe  royal  navy,  suc- 
ceeded in  landing  two  field  pieces  and  getting  them  to  the  block 
house,  but  they  were  not  fired  during  the  engagement. 


\ 


LAKE  CnAMPLAIN.  207 

back  upon  ('hazy  and  I'lattsburgh,  to  protect  the  military 
Btorca  at  the  hitter  iilaofl.' 

On  the  Dth  of  May,  Captaiu  Priiijf,  (if  the  IJritiah  navy, 
aHConded  the  Riehdi'  i  in  the  hri'<  Linnet,  accompanied  by 
five  HloopH  and  thirtcou  mw-.trallcys,  and  the  next  day  cnnio 
to  anchor  under  Providence  Ii^liiiul,  ■  where  ho  remained  until 
the  evening  of  the  15Uh.  Macdoiiough  wan  at  this  time  at 
VcrgenncH,  on  Otter  Creek,  busily  engagoil  in  fitting  out 
the  American  fleet  which  lay  at  that  place.  As  soon  as  ho 
was  informed  that  the  Ih-itish  flotilla  had  entered  the  lake, 
ho  ordered  Lieutenant  (!assin,  with  a  small  party  of  sailors, 
to  reinforce  Captain  Thornton,  who  had  been  sent  from 
13urllngton  with  a  detachment  of  light  artillery  to  man  a 
battery  which  had  been  erected  at  the  mouth  of  Ottor  Creek. 
A  brigade  of  the  Vermont  militia  was  also  ordered  out,  and 
was  advantageously  posted  to  oppose  the  enemy,  in  case  he 
should  attempt  to  land. 

At  day-break  on  the  morning  of  the  14th,  eight  of  the 
British  galleys  and  a  bomb-sloop  anchored  off  the  mouth  of 
Otter  Creek  and  commenced  a  warm  fire  upon  the  battery, 
which  was  promptly  returned.  A  brisk  cannonade  was 
kept  up  by  both  parties  for  one  hour  and  a  half,  when  the 
attack  was  abandoned. 

After  this  repulse  the  galleys  entered  the  Bouquet  River, 
and  ascended  that  stream  for  the  purpose  of  seizing  some 
government  flour,  which  had  been  deposited  in  the  grist- 
mill at  the  falls.     On  their  return,  the  boats  were  fired  into 


1  This  account  of  the  affair  at  La  Colle  is  derived  from  the  testi- 
mony of  Bissel,  Macomb,  Clark,  Totton,  McPhcrson  and  others 
before  the  court  martial,  on  the  trial  of  General  Wilkinson,  in 
January,  1815,  and  from  the  oflBcial  report  of  Adj.  General  Baynes 
of  the  British  army. 

>This  is  one  of  the  small  islands  lying  near  the  south  end  of 
Grand  Island,  opposite  Valoour. 


i  \ 


II 

ri. 


t 


\i 


S) 


! 


;    I 

■U 


\Y. 


208  LAKE  CEAMPLAIN. 

by  a  company  of  militia  who  had  hastily  collected  on  the 
south  bank  of  the  river  near  its  mouth.  This  fire  killed  or 
wounded  nearly  all  the  mea  in  the  rear  galley.  The  boat 
afterwards  drifted  into  the  lake,  and  was  towed  ofif  by  small 
boats  sent  to  its  assistance.  The  galleys  then  joined  the 
brig  and  the  three  sloops,  which,  during  the  attack  on  the 
battery,  had  remained  at  anchor  near  the  Four  Brothers. 
On  the  16th  Captain  Pring  returned  to  Isle  aux  Noix.  A 
few  days  afterwards  Macdonough  brought  his  fleet  out  of 
Otter  Creek,  and  on  the  29th  cast  anchor  in  Cumberland  Bay, 
off"  P'attsburgh. 

During  the  summer  the  British  and  Americans  were  ac- 
tively engaged  in  strengthening  their  positions  along  the 
Champlain  frontier.  Large  reinforcements  joined  the  army 
at  Plattaburgh,  while  the  garrisons  at  Chambly,  St.  Johns 
and  Isle  aux  Noix  were  increased  by  detachments  of  troops 
drawn  from  Montreal  and  Quebec.  Major  General  Izard, 
who  had  succeeded  to  the  command  on  the  withdrawal  of 
Wilkinson,  was  directed  to  erect  a  heavy  battery  at  Rouse's 
Point,  to  guard  the  entrance  from  the  Richelieu  into  the 
lake.  Considering  the  occupation  of  that  point  hazardous, 
from  its  proximity  to  the  enemy's  posts  at  La  Colle  and  Isle 
aux  Noix,  he  objected  to  erecting  works  there,  and  instead, 
cau/^ed  a  battery  of  four  eighteen  pounders  and  a  large 
redoubt  to  be  constructed  on  Cumberland  Head.^ 

On  the  11th  of  June,  a  light  brigade  under  command  of 
General  Smith,  Forsyth's  regiment  of  riflemen,  and  two 
companies  of  artillery  were  encamped  near  the  mouth  of 
Dead  Creek,  about  two  miles  north  of  the  village  of 
Plattsburgh.     These  troo^   ac"yanced  as  far  as  Chazy  on  the 


^|The  works  on  Cumberland  Head  were  commenced  in  opposition 
to  tlie  views  of  Colonel  Totten,  wbo  considered  tliey  would  not 
impede  or  materially  injure  a  passing  fleet.  They  proved  useless 
and  were  abandoned  on  the  first  approach  of  the  British. 


\ 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN.  ''  £09 

17th,  and  on  the  27th  occupied  the  village  of  Champlain. 
Smith's  brigade  wag  1,400  strong.  At  the  latter  date,  Colonel 
Pierce,  of  the  13th  regiment,  was  at  Chazy  with  800  men, 
and  about  1,200  men  occupied  the  works  on  Cumberland 
Head,  at  Dead  Creek  and  in  the  village  of  Plattsburgh. 
Macdonough's  fleet  lay  at  anchor  in  King's  Bay.  The  British 
then  held  La  Colle  with  a  force  of  3,600  men.  They  also 
had  strong  garrisons  at  Isle  aux  Noix  and  St.  Johns. 
Huron's  regiment,  1,000  strong,  was  at  L'Acadie,  two  brig- 
ades of  artillery  and  300  cavalry  at  Cbarably,  and  2,000 
regulars  at  Montreal.     Their  fleet  lay  at  Isle  aux  Tetes. 

On  the  24th  of  June,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Forsyth,  with  70 
of  his  riflemen,  penetrated  into  Canada  as  far  as  Odletown, 
where  he  was  attacked  by  a  detachment  of  two  hundred 
British  light  troops.  Forsyth  returned  to  Champlain,  with 
the  loss  of  one  killed  and  five  wounded.  A  few  days  after- 
wards he  was  ordered  again  to  enter  Canada,  for  the  purpose 
of  drawing  the  British  across  the  lines  into  an  ambuscade. 
He  advanced  a  few  men  on  the  main  road  leading  to  Odletown, 
who  soon  met  a  party  of  the  enemy,  when  they  retreated, 
closely  pursued  by  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  Canadians 
and  Indians,  under  command  of  Captain  Mahew,  until  they 
reached  a  point  about  half  a  mile  south  of  the  lines,  where 
the  main  body  of  the  rifles  lay  concealed.  As  the  enemy 
approached  the  ambuscade,  Colonel  Forsyth  stepped  upon  a 
log  to  watch  their  movements.  He  had  scarcely  taken  this 
exposed  position  when  he  was  shot  down  by  an  Indian, 
the  ball  passing  through  his  breast.  The  rifles  immediately 
uncovered  and  fired  upon  the  enemy,  who  retreated  in  great 
haste,  leaving  seventeen  of  their  number  dead  upon  the 
fieldi. 


.V 

i, 


ll- 


1  Forsyth  was  the  best  partisan  officer  in  the  army.     His  men 
declared  that  they  would  avenge  his  death,  and  a  few  days  after- 

27 


•n 


■i-  fl 

•  Ail 

in 


210  LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 

A  few  days  afterwards,  Captain  Nelson,  of  the  10th  in- 
fantry, crossed  into  Canada  with  a  small  detachment,  surprised 
a  British  picket  in  Odletown,  took  some  of  them  prisoners 
and  put  the  rest  to  flight.  Skirmishes  were  very  frequent 
along  the  borders  during  the  months  of  July  and  August, 
although  seldom  attended  with  any  considerable  loss  to 
either  side. 

On  the  31st  of  July,  Macomb's  brigade,  consisting  of  the 
6th,  13th,  15th,  16th  and  29th  regiments,  set  out  in  boats 
fi  om  Cumberland  Head,  for  Chazy  landing.  The  same  day, 
Bissell's  brigade,  of  the  5th,  14th,  30th,  31st,  33d,  34th  and 
45  th  regiments,  started  for  Chazy  by  land.  This  movement 
placed  three  brigades,  in  all  4,500  strong,  at  and  in  rear  of 
the  village  of  Champlain.  The  invalids  and  200  eflFectives 
of  Macomb's  brigade  were  left  behind,  to  finish  the  works  at 
Cumberland  Head,  and  a  working  party  of  about  400  strong 
of  Bissell's  brigade  was  left  at  Plattsburgh  under  Colonel 
Fenwick,  to  complete  three  redoubts  which  had  been  com- 
menced near  that  village. 

In  the  month  of  August  Sir  George  Provost  repaired  to 
the  Isle  aux  Noix,  where  he  had  concentrated  a  large  body 
of  men,  including  several  veteran  regiments  who  had  lately 
distinguished  themselves  on  the  banks  of  the  Adour  and  the 
Gi-arronne.  Every  thing  now  indicated  that  a  battle  was 
soon  to  be  fought  on  the  Champlain  frontier,  which  would 
decide  the  fate  of  the  campaign,  and  the  control  of  the  whole 
country  bordering  on  the  lake.  It  was  at  this  moment  that 
the  government  determined  to  remove  the  troops  from  Lake 
Champlain,  and  to  abandon  the  large  amount  of  military 


wards  crossed  the  lines  and  shot  Captain  Mahew,  who  commanded 
the  Canadians  and  Indians  at  the  time  of  Forsyth's  death.  Mahcw 
was  taken  to  the  residence  of  Judge  Moore  in  Champlain,  where 
he  lingered  about  a  week  and  died. 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


211 


stores  and  provisions  collected  at  Plattsburgh,  the  lives  and 
property  of  its  citizens,  and  the  great  military  key  of  the 
northern  and  eastern  states  to  the  protection  of  a  few  raw, 
worn  out,  sick  or  disabled  men.  This  strange  movement 
evinced  a  reckless  indifference  on  the  part  of  the  govern- 
ment as  to  the  result  of  the  war  in  this  quarter,  i 

General  Izard  strongly  protested  against  the  removal  of 
the  troops,  and  repeatedly  represented  to  the  war  department 
the  fatal  results  that  might  be  expected  from  such  a  move- 
ment. As  late  as  the  20th  of  August,  he  writes  the  secretary 
of  war  as  follows :  "  I  must  not  be  responsible  for  the  conse- 
quences of  adandoning  my  present  strong  position.  I  will 
obey  orders  and  execute  them  as  well  as  I  know  how.  Major 
General  Brisbane  commands  at  Odletown  ;  he  is  said  to 
have  between  five  and  six  thousand  men  with  him.  Those 
at  Chambly  are  stated  to  be  about  four  thousand."  On  the 
23d  he  again  writes  that  he  has  decided  to  move  west,  by 
way  of  Lake  George  and  Schenectady,  with  4,000  men,  leav- 
ing the  sick  and  convalescents,  and  about  1,200  men,  to 
garrison  Plattsburgh  and  Cumberland  Head,  under  command 
of  Brigadier  General  Macomb. 


1  It  has  been  asserted  in  certain  quarters,  that  the  authorities 
at  Washington  never  intended  a  real  invasion  of  Canada,  for  fear 
that  the  reduction  of  Montreal  and  the  other  important  points  upon 
the  St.  Lawrence  might  ulMmntely  lead  to  annexation,  and  to  a 
consequent  increase  of  political  power,  north  of  Mnson  and  Dix- 
on's line.  While  old  and  superannuated  generals  commanded  on 
this  frontier,  they  were  allowed,  ad  libitum,  to  lead  their  armies  to 
and  fro  along  the  outskirts  of  Canada,  but  the  moment  a  fighting 
man,  with  the  regular  snap  of  war  in  him,  was  found  to  be  in  com- 
mand, the  army  was  broken  up  and  its  best  fragments  sent  to  aid 
in  some  distant  operations,  where  the  most  triumphant  success 
could  not  endanger  the  cities  of  Montreal  and  Quebec,  which  were 
justly  considered  as  the  keys  of  the  British  provinces. 


•i 


212  LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 

Eeceiving  no  counter  orders,  Izard,  on  the  29th  of  August, 
left  Ghamplain  and  Chazy  with  the  4th,  5th,  10th,  12th, 
13th,  14th,  15th,  16th  and  45th  infantry,  the  light  artillery 
armed  as  infantry  and  the  dragoons,  and  slowly  and  reluc- 
tantly moved  towards  the  west.  On  the  3d  of  September 
his  corps  reached  Lake  George,  where  they  remained  two 
days,  anxiously  expecting  orders  to  return  to  Plattsburgh. 
No  such  orders  arrived,  and  Izard  again  put  his  column  in 
motion.  On  the  7th  he  reached  Schenectady,  from  which 
place  he  urged  on  more  rapidly. 

As  soon  as  Izard  left  General  Macomb  concentrated  his 
whole  force  at  Plattsburgh,  where  he  commenced  imme- 
diate preparations  to  resist  an  attack.  From  the  returns  of 
the  28th  of  August  it  appears  that  on  that  day  he  had  the 
following  troops  within  the  limits  of  his  command : 

Detachments  of  the  regiments  and  corps  that  marched,  77 

Capt.  Leonard's  company  of  light  artillery, 100 

Capt.  McGlassin's  company,  15th  regt., 50 

The  6th,  29th,  30th,  31st,  33d  and  34th  regiments, 
reported  from  the  aggregate  present  on  the  3l8t 

July, 1,771 

Capt.  Sproul's  detachment  of  13th  regiment,. 200 

Sick  and  invalids  of  the  regiments  and  corps  that  left,  803 

Aggregate, 3,001 

There  were  two  veteran  companies  of  artillery  under 
Captain  Alexander  Brooks,  which  were  omitted  in  the 
return.  Two  hundred  and  fifty  infantry  were  also  on  board 
the  fleet  doing  duty  as  marines.  This  brought  the  whole 
force  to  about  3,400  men,  of  whom  over  1,400  were  invalids 


LAKE  CHAMPLAiy. 


213 


or  non-combatants.  1  With  this  force  Macomb  prepared  to 
resist  the  advance  of  fourteen  thousand  veteran  British  sol- 
diers. 


» General  Macomb,  in  his  detailed  report  of  the  battle  of  Platts- 
burgh,  says:  "Except  the  four  companies  ofthe  6th  regiment,  I  had 
not  an  organized  battalion  among  those  remaining;  the  garrison 
wascomposed  of  convalescents  and  the  recruits  ofthe  new  regiments 
— all  in  the  greatest  confusion,  as  well  as  the  ordinance  and  stores ; 
and  the  works  in  no  state  of  defense." 


!fc 


CHAPTER  XII. 

sir  George  Provost  invades  the  United  States  —  Preparations  at  Plattsburgh 
to  Resist  ills  Advance  —  Description  of  tiie  American  Forts,  &c.  Tlio  Britlsli 
encamp  at  Cliazy— Battle  of  Beelcmantowu  —  Provost's  Position  on  tlie 
Nortli  Banlcs  of  the  Saranac  —  Captain  McClassin  attacks  a  Briitsh  Battery 
—Aderican  and  British  force  on  the  Lake  —  Naval  Engagement  off  Platts- 
burgh— Battle  of  Plattsburgh  —Provost  retreats  to  Canada—  The  Peace. 

General  I''.ard  abandoned  the  camp  at  Champlain  on  the 
29th  of  August,  and  the  next  day  Major  General  Brisbane 
advanced  his  division  from  Odletown  to  that  place.  On  the 
3d  of  September  fourteen  thousand  British  troops  were 
collected  at  Champlain.  This  force  was  composed  of  four 
troops  of  the  19th  light  dragoons,  300  menj  two  companies 
royal  artillery,  400  men ;  one  brigade  of  rocketeers,  twenty- 
five  men  ;  one  brigade  royal  sappers  and  miners,  seventy- 
five  men ;  the  first  brigade  of  infantry,  consisting  of  the 
first  battallion  of  the  27th  regiment,  the  58th  and  dth,  and 
the  3d  or  buffs,  in  all  3,700  men,  under  command  of  Major 
General  Robinson ;  the  second  brigade,  formed  by  the  88th 
and  39th,  and  the  third  battallions  of  the  27th  and  76th,  in 
all  3,600  men,  under  Major  General  Powers;  the  third 
brigade,  composed  of  the  second  battallion  of  the  8th  or 
king's,  and  the  18th,  49th  and  6th,  3,100  men,  under  Major 
General  Brisbane.  There  was  also  a  light  brigade  2,800 
strong,  composed  of  Muron's  Swiss  regiment,  the  Canadian 
chasseurs,  the  voltiguers  and  the  frontier  light  infantry. 
The  whole  was  under  Sir  George  Provost,  governor  general 
*of  Canada;  Lieutenant  General  De  Rottenburgh  being 
second  in  command. 

On  the  4th  the  main  body  reached  Chazy  village,  and 
the  next  night  encamped  near  Sampson's,  about  eight  miles 


LAKE  CBAMPLAIN. 


215 


from  the  village  of  Plattsburgh.  At  the  same  time  Captain 
Pring,  with  a  number  of  gun-boats,  moved  up  the  lake  as 
far  as  Isle  la  Motte,  and  erected  a  battery  of  three  long  18 
pounders  on  the  west  side  of  that  island,  to  cover  the  land- 
ing of  the  supplies  for  the  troops. 

Brigadier  General  Macomb  was  now  at  Plattsburgh  ac- 
tively engaged  in  preparations  to  resist  the  expected  attack. 
On  the  3d  of  September  he  issued  a  general  order  detailing 
his  plan  of  defense.  "  The  troops  (says  this  order)  will  line 
the  parapet  in  two  ranks,  leaving  intervals  for  the  artillery, 
sufficient  number  of  infantry  to  line  all  the  faces  (in  single 
A  reserve  of  one  fifth  of  the  whole  force  in  infantry  will  bo 
detailed  and  paraded,  fronting  the  several  angles,  which  it 
will  be  their  particular  duty  to  sustain.  To  each  bastion 
are  to  be  assigned,  by  the  several  commanders  of  forts,  a 
rank)  of  each  tier.  Should  the  enemy  gain  the  ditch,  the 
front  rank  of  the  part  assailed  will  mount  the  parapet  and 
repel  him  with  its  fire  and  bayonet.  If  the  men  of  this  rank 
are  determined,  no  human  force  can  dispossess  them  of  that 
position." 

The  American  works  were  built  upon  an  elevated  plain 
lying  between  the  banks  of  the  river  Saranac  and  Lake 
Champlain.  The  river  descends  from  the  west  until  it 
approaches  within  about  one  hundred  and  sixty  rods  of  the 
lake,  and  then  turns  towards  the  north  and  runs  about  one 
mile  in  a  northeasterly  direction  to  the  lake.  The  land, 
between  the  river  and  lake,  at  this  point,  is  nearly  in  the 
shape  of  a  right  angled  triangle,  the  perpendicular  being 
formed  by  the  lake  shore.  About  eighty  rods  above  the 
mouth  of  the  river,  and  near  the  centre  of  the  village,  is 
the  lower  bridge,  and  about  one  mile  higher  up,  following 
the  course  of  the  stream,  was  another  bridge,  on  the  road 
leading  south  to  Salmon  lliver,  called  the  upper  bridge. 
One  mile  and  a  half  above  the  upper  bridge  is  a  ford  of  the 


216 


LAKE  OHAMPLAIN. 


river.  1  The  stream  can  also  be  forded  at  the  bridges,  and 
at  a  point  about  midway  between  them.  The  south  bank 
of  the  river,  above  the  village,  is  from  fifty  to  sixty  feet 
high,  and  steep.  About  sixty  rods  above  the  lower 
bridge  is  a  deep  ravine,  running  back  from  the  river  and 
extending  nearly  to  the  lake  shore.  The  principal  work, 
called  Fort  Moreau,  stood  opposite. the  bend  of  the  river, 
and  about  half  way  between  it  and  the  lake.  It  was  three 
fourths  of  a  mile  south  of  the  lower  bridge.  A  redoubt, 
called  Fort  Brown,  stood  on  ithe  bank  of  the  river,  directly 
opposite  the  bend,  and  about  fifty  rods  west  of  Fort  Moreau. 
There  was  another  redoubt  to  the  east  of  Fort  Moreau,  near 
the  bank  of  the  lake,  called  Fort  Scott.  On  the  point,  near 
the  mouth  of  the  river,  was  a  block  house  and  battery.  An- 
other block  house  stood  on  the  south  side  of  the  ravine,  about 
half  way  between  the  river  and  the  lake.  The  defense  of 
Fort  Moreau  was  entrusted  to  Colonel  Melancton  Smith, 
who  had  for  its  garrison  the  29th  and  6th  regiments.  Lieu- 
tenant Colonel  Storrs  was  stationed  in  Fort  Brown,  with 
detachments  of  the  30th  and  31st,  and  Major  Vinson  in 
Fort  Scott,  with  the  33d  and  34th.  The  block  house  near  the 
ravine,  was  entrusted  to  Captain  Smith  of  the  rifles,  and 
had  for  its  defense  a  part  of  his  company  and  of  the  con- 
valescents of  one  of  the  absent  regiments.  The  block  house 
on  the  point  was  garrisoned  by  a  detachment  of  artillery, 
under  Lieutenant  Fowler.  The  light  artillery  were  ordered 
to  take  such  position  ao  would  best  annoy  the  enemy.  When 
not  employed  they  were  to  take  post  in  the  ravine  with  the 
light  troops. 

As  soon  as  the  British  had  advanced  to  Chazy  village, 
Captain  Sproul  was  ordered  by  General  Macomb,  with  two 
hundred  men  of  the  13th,  and  two  field  pieces,  to  take 


^  This  ford  is  near  the  spot  where  General  Pike  encamped  in 
1812.     The  buildings  were  burned  by  Colonel  Murray  in  1813. 


ill 


28 


PLATTSBURGH  AND  VICINITY,  Sept.,  1814. 


\ 


LAKE  CUAMPLAIN. 


219 


position  near  the  Dead  Creek  bridge,  and  to  abattis  the  road 
beyond,  while  Lieutenant  Colonel  Appling  was  stationed  in 
advance  with  one  hundred  and  ten  riflemen,  and  a  troop  of 
Now  York  state  cavalry,  under  Captain  ^afford  and  Lieu- 
tenant M.  M.Standish,  to  watch  themovenientHof  the  enemy. 
Macomb  also  made  arrangements  with  Major  General  Mooers 
for  calling  out  the  New  York  militia,  and  addressed  a  letter 
to  Governor  Chittenden,  of  Vermont,  requesting  aid  from 
that  state.  On  the  4th  seven  hundred  of  the  Clinton  and 
Essex  militia  had  collected  at  Plattsburgh.  They  were 
advanced  the  next  day  about  five  miles  on  the  north  road, 
and  lay  during  the  night  in  the  vicinity  of  the  present  stone 
church  in  Beekmantown.  The  militia  were  directed  to 
watch  the  enemy,  skirmish  with  him  as  he  advanced,  break 
up  the  bridges  and  obstruct  the  road  with  fallen  trees. 

On  the  5th,  as  we  have  already  stated,  the  British  occu- 
pied a  position  near  Sampson's,  on  the  lake  road.  The  troops 
were  there  divided  into  two  columns,  and  moved  towards 
the  village  of  Plattsburgh  on  the  morning  of  the  6th,  before 
day-light,  the  right  column  crossing  over  to  the  Beekman- 
town road  and  the  left  following  the  lake  road  leading  to  the 
Dead  Creek  bridge.  The  right  column  was  composed  of 
Major  General  Powers's  brigade,  supported  by  four  com- 
panies of  light  infantry  and  a  demi-brigade  under  Major 
General  Robinson.  The  left  was  led  by  Major  General 
Brisbane's  brigade.  Information  of  this  contemplated  move- 
ment having  reached  General  Macomb  on  the  evening  of 
the  5th,  he  ordered  Major  Wool,  with  a  detachment  of  two 
hundred  and  fifty  men,  to  advance  on  the  Beekmantown  road 
to  the  support  of  the  militia.  Captain  Leonard,  of  the  light 
artillery,  was  also  directed  to  be  on  the  ground  before  day- 
light, with  two  field  pieces. 

The  right  column  of  the  British  advanced  more  rapidly 
than  the  left,  and  at  an  early  hour  met  Major  Wool's  detach- 


220 


LAKE  CBAMPLAIN. 


mont  and  tho  militia,  who  had  taken  a  position  near  the 
rcHidonco  of  Ira  Howe,  in  Boekuantown.  Wool's  party 
opened  a  brisk  fire  of  musketry  upon  the  head  of  the  British 
column  as  it  approached,  severely  wounding  Lieutenant 
West  of  the  the  3d  Buffs,  and  about  twenty  privates.  Near 
this  place,  Goodspeed  and  Jay,  two  men  of  Captain  Atwood'a 
company  of  militia,  were  wounded  and  taken  prisoners. 
Wool,  with  his  men,  now  fell  back  as  far  as  Culver's  Hill, 
four  and  a  half  miles  from  the  village,  where  he  awaited  the 
approach  of  the  British.  lie  was  supported  by  a  few  of  the 
militia,  but  the  greater  portion  retreated  precipitately  after 
the  first  fire  near  Howe's.  The  resistance  at  Culver's  Hill  was 
intrepid  but  momentary,  for  the  British  troops  pressed  firmly 
forward,  occupying  the  whole  road,  and  only  returning  the 
fire  by  their  fianks  and  leading  platoons ;  the  latter  were 
once  driven  to  the  base  of  the  hill,  after  having  reached  its 
summit.  At  this  point,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Willington,  of 
the  3d  Buffs,  fell  as  he  was  ascending  the  hill  at  the  head  of  his 
regiment.  Ensign  Chapman,  of  the  same  regiment,  was 
also  killed  there,  aud  Captain  Westropp,  of  the  58th,  severely 
wounded.  Several  of  the  Americans  were  killed,  including 
Patridge,  of  the  Essex  militia. 

Learning  that  a  large  body  of  the  British  were  advancing 
on  a  parallel  road,  leading  from  Beekmantown  Corners,  to 
gain  his  rear,  Wool  fell  back  as  far  as  Halsey's  Corners,  about 
one  and  a  half  miles  from  the  village  bridge.  He  was  there 
joined,  about  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning,  by  Captain 
Leonard  with  two  pieces  of  light  artillery.  Leonard  placed 
his  guns  in  battery  at  an  angle  in  the  road,  masked  by  Wool's 
infantry  and  a  small  body  of  militia,  and  as  tho  British 
approached  opened  a  most  galling  fire  upon  the  head  of  the 
column,  the  balls  cutting  a  narrow  and  bloody  lane  through 
the  moving  mass.  Three  times  were  the  guns  discharged, 
but  even  this  terrible  fire  did  not  check  the  progress  of  the 
column,  for  the  men,  throwing  aside  their  knapsacks,  pressed 


LAKE  CnAMPLALY, 


221 


forward,  tlio  bugles  souiidinj,'  the  cl»ur<;o,  iind  forced  Leonard 
hastily  to  withdraw  towards  tho  viilaj^e.  At  this  plueo  a 
n umbel' of  the  Uritish  were  killed  orwtjuuded.  Aiiionj;  the 
lattor  waH  Lieutenant  Kinj^sbury,  of  the  Jid  BuIIh,  who 
was  tiikon  into  tho  adjoining  farm  house  of  Lsuac  C.  IMatt 
£m({  :     iiero  ho  soon  afterwards  died. 

Finding  that  the  enemy's  right  column  was  steadily  ap- 
proaching the  village,  General  Macomb  ordered  in  tho 
detachments  at  Dead  Creek,  at  tho  same  time  directing 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Appling  to  fall  on  the  Jiritish  flank. 
The  rapid  advauce  of  the  column  on  the  IJcekmantown  road 
had  reversed  Appling's  position,  i.ul  ho  had  barely  time  to 
save  his  retreat,  coming  in  a  few  rods  ahead  as  the  IJritish 
debouched  from  the  woods  a  little  north  of  the  village. 
There  he  poured  in  a  destructive  fire  from  his  riflemen  at 
rest,  and  continued  to  annoy  the  enemy  until  he  formed  a 
junction  with  Wool,  who  was  slowly  retiring  towards  tho 
lower  bridge.  The  field  pieces  were  taken  across  the  bridgt 
and  formed  a  battery  for  its  protection,  and  to  cover  the 
retreat  of  Wool's,  Appling's  and  Sproul's  men.  These 
detachments  retired  alternately,  keeping  up  a  brisk  fire 
until  they  got  under  cover  of  the  works. 

The  left  column  of  the  British  army  did  not  arrive  near 
the  village  until  after  Sproul's  and  Appling's  detachments 
had  been  withdrawn,  their  march  having  been  retarded  by 
the  obstructions  placed  in  the  road,  and  by  the  removal  of 
the  bridge  at  Dead  Creek.  As  this  column  passed  along 
the  beach  of  the  lake  it  was  much  annoyed  by  a  brisk  fire 
from  several  galleys,  which  Macdonough  had  ordered  to 
the  head  of  the  bay.  After  this  fire  had  continued  for 
about  two  hours  the  wind  began  to  blow  so  heavy  from  tho 
south  as  to  endanger  the  safety  of  the  galleys.  Mr.  Duncan, 
a  midshipman  of  the  Saratoga,  was  therefore  sent  in  a  gig  to 
order  them  to  return.  As  that  officer  approached  he  re- 
ceived a  severe  wound  from  the  enemy's  fire,  which  for  a 


V 


.      1 


222  LAKE  CUAMPLAIN. 

few  minutes  was  concentrated  upon  his  boat.^  About  this 
time  one  of  the  galleys  drifted  under  the  guns  of  the  British 
and  sustained  some  loss,  but  was  eventually  brought  off. 

As  soon  as  the  American  troops  had  crossed  the  river, 
the  planks  were  removed  from  the  lower  bridge,  and  were 
piled  up  at  its  east  end  to  form  a  breast-work  for  the 
infantry.  A  similar  breast-work  was  made  by  the  militia, 
at  the  upper  bridge.  The  British  light  troops  made  several 
attempts  in  the  course  of  the  day,  to  cross  at  the  village, 
but  were  repulsed  by  the  guards  at  the  bridge,  and  by  the 
sharp  fire  of  a  company  of  volunteers  who  had  taken  pos- 
session of  a  stone  grist  mill  near  by.^  An  attempt  was  also 
made  to  cross  at  the  upper  bridge,  which  was  gallantly 
resisted  by  the  militia.  The  k.JS  this  day,  on  both  sides, 
was  greater  than  the  whole  loss  during  the  rest  of  the  siege, 
forty-five  of  the  Americans,  and  more  than  two  hundred 
British  having  been  killed  or  wounded. - 


'On  the  2Cth  of  May,  1826,  congress  passed  a  resolution  of 
thanks  to  Midshipman  Silas  Duncan  for  his  gallabt  conduct  on  this 
occasion. 

1  Tliis  company  was  called  Aiken's  volunteers  and  was  composed 
of  the  following  young  men,  none  of  whom  were  old  enough  to  be 
liable  to  perform  military  duty  ;  Martin  J.  Aiken,  Azariah  C.  Flagg, 
Ira  A.  Wood,  Gustavus  A.  Bird,  James  Trowbridge,  Hazen  Mooers, 
Henry  K.  Averill,  St.  John  B.  L.  Skinner,  Frederick  P.  Allen, 
Hiram  Walworth,  Ethan  Everest,  Amos  Soper,  James  Patten, 
Bartemus  Brooks,  Smith  Bateman,  Melancton  W.  Travis  and 
Flavius  Williams.  Tliey  had  been  out  on  the  Beekmantown  road 
in  the  morning,  where  they  behaved  with  great  gallantry.  In 
May,  1826,  congress  authorized  the  president  to  cause  to  be  de- 
livered to  each,  "One  rifle  promised  to  them  by  General  Macomb, 
while  commanding  the  Champlain  department,  for  their  gallantry 
and  patriotic  services  as  a  volunteer  corps  during  the  siege  of 
Plattsburgh  in  September,  1814." 

>  General  Macomb,  in  his  general  order  of  the  7th,  estimates  the 
British  loss  at  from  two  to  three  hundred.  The  Burlington  Sm- 
tinel  of  the  9th  states  it  to  have  about  three  hundred. 


LAKE  CUAMPLAIN. 


223 


The  configuration  of  the  land  on  the  north  side  of  the 
river  differs  somewhat  from  that  on  the  south  side.  The 
bank  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  is  abrupt  and  about  thirty 
feet  high.  This  bank,  with  a  depression  above  the  lower 
bridge,  opposite  the  mill  pond,  follows  the  margin  of  the 
stream,  until  within  about  eighty  rods  of  Fort  Brown,  when 
the  hill  recedes  from  the  river  and  is  less  abrupt.  The  flat 
and  hill  opposite  Fort  Brown  were  covered  with  small  trees 
and  bushes.  About  one  mile  back  from  the  river  is  an  ele- 
vated ridge  running  to  the  north.  At  Allen's  farm  house, 
which  stood  upon  this  ridge  at  the  distance  of  about  one  and 
one  fourth  miles  from  the  American  forts,  Sir  George  Pro- 
vost established  his  head  quarters.  The  army  were  en- 
camped upon  the  ridge,  and  on  the  high  ground  north  of  the 
village. 

From  the  7th  to  the  10th  Provost  was  busily  engaged  in 
bringing  up  his  battering  trains  and  supplies,  and  in  prepar- 
ing his  approaches.  He  erected  a  battery  on  the  bank  of 
the  lake  north  of  the  mouth  of  the  river ;  and  another  near 
the  edge  of  the  steep  bank  above  the  mill  pond ;  another  near 
the  burial  ground,  and  one,  supplied  with  rocket  works,  on 
the  hill  opposite  Fort  Brown.  Besides  these,  there  were 
three  smaller  batteries  erected  at  other  points,  within  range 
of  the  American  forts. 

While  Provost  was  thus  engaged  the  American  troops 
were  diligently  at  work,  day  and  night,  in  strengthening 
their  defenses.  The  barracks  and  hospitals  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  forts  were  burned,  and  the  sick  removed  to  Crab  Is- 
land, about  two  miles  distant,  where  they  were  protected 
from  the  weather  by  tents.  A  small  battery  was  erected  on 
that  island,  mounting  two  six  pounders,  which  was  manned 
by  convalescents.  The  Americans  also,  during  this  time, 
fired  hot  shot  into  and  burned  some  fifteen  or  sixteen  build- 


n 


224 


LAKE  CEAMPLAm. 


inj»s,  on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  which  had  afforded  pro- 
tection to  the  British  light  troops.  ^ 

From  the  7th  to  the  10th  the  pickets  and  militia  were 
engaged  in  frequent  skirmishes  with  the  enemy  at  the  two 
bridges,  and  at  the  different  fords  along  the  river.  On  the 
morning  of  the  7th,  a  party  of  British,  under  Captain  Noa- 
die,  attempted  to  cross  the  river  at  a  ford  about  five  miles 
west  of  the  village.  They  were,  however,  met  by  a  company 
of  Colonel  Miller's  regiment  of  militia,  under  command  of 
Captain  Vaughan,  and  were  repulsed  with  a  loss  of  two 
killed  and  several  wounded.  The  same  day.  Lieutenant 
Runk,  of  the  6th,  was  mortally  wounded,  as  he  was  passing 
in  the  street,  near  the  present  dwelling  of  A.  C.  Moore  Esq. 

On  the  night  of  the  9th,  while  the  British  were  engaged  in 
erecting  their  rocket  battery  near  Fort  Brown,  Captain  Mc- 
Glassin,  of  the  15th  infantry,  obtained  permission  from  Gen- 
eral Macomb  to  take  a  party  of  fifty  men  and  attack  a 
detachment  of  British  troops  at  work  upon  the  battery.  The 
night  was  dark  and  stormy  and  favored  such  an  enterprise. 
Ordering  his  men  to  take  the  flints  from  their  muskets,  Mc- 
Glassin  crossed  the  riv'er,  and  passing  through  a  small  clump 
of  dwarf  oaks,  reached,  unobserved,  the  foot  of  the  hill  upon 
which  the  enemy  were  at  work.  There  he  divided  his 
force  into  two  parties,  one  of  which  was  sent,  by  a  circuit- 
ous route,  to  the  rear  of  the  battery.  As  soon  as  this  party 
had  reached  its  position,  McGlassin,  in  a  loud  voice,  ordered 
his  men  to  charge '' on  the  front  and  rear,"  when  they 


1  The  Burlington  Sentinel  says  that  up  to  the  evening  of  the  8th 
the  following  buildings  had  been  burned :  Jonathan  Griffin's  house 
and  store ;  Roswell  Wait's  house  and  store  ;  Mr.  Savage's  house  ; 
B.  Buck's  house ;  Mr.  Powers's  store  ;  Widow  Beaumont's  house 
and  store ;  Charles  Backus's  house  and  store ;  Joseph  Thomas's  two 
stores,  and  Mr.  Ooldsmith's  house.  The  court  house  and  jail  were 
also  burned. 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


225 


rushed  forward  with  all  the  noise  it  was  possible  for  them 
to  make,  and  entered  the  work  at  both  sides  on  the  run.  The 
working  party  were  taken  by  surprise,  and  supposing  them- 
selves attacked  by  overwhelming  numbers,  retreated  pre- 
cipitately towards  the  main  camp.  McGlassin  spiked  the  guns 
and  led  his  party  back  to  the  American  fort  without  losing 
a  man.  The  whole  affair  was  boldly  conceived  and  most 
gallantly  executed.  It  was  long  before  the  British  officers 
would  believe  that  fifty  men  could  make  so  much  noise,  or 
so  badly  frighten  over  three  hundred  of  their  veteran  troops. 

When  the  British  army  reached  Plattsburgh  their  gun- 
boats had  advanced  as  far  as  the  Isle  la  Motte,  where  they 
remained  under  command  of  Captain  Pring.  On  the  8th 
Captain  Downie  reached  that  place  with  the  rest  of  the  fleet, 
and  on  the  morning  of  the  11th  the  whole  weighed  anchor 
and  stood  south  to  attack  the  Americans,  who  lay  in  the  bay 
off  Plattsburgh. 

As  the  British  vessels  rounded  Cumberland  Head,  about 
eight  o'clock  in  the  morning,  they  found  Macdonough  at 
anchor  a  little  south  of  the  mouth  of  the  Saranac  River,  and 
abreast,  but  out  of  gun  shot  of  the  forts.  His  vessels  lay  in 
a  line  running  north  from  Crab  Island,  and  nearly  parallel 
with  the  west  shore.  The  brig  Eagle,  Captain  Henly,  lay 
at  the  head  of  the  line,  inside  the  point  of  the  Head.  This 
vessel  mounted  twenty  guns  and  had  on  board  one  hundred 
and  fifty  men.  Next  to  her  and  on  the  south  lay  Macdon- 
ough's  flag  ship,  the  Saratoga,  mounting  twenty -six  guns, 
with  two  hundred  and  twelve  men.  Next  south  was  the 
schooner  Ticonderoga,  of  seventeen  guns.  Lieutenant  Cassin, 
with  one  hundred  and  ten  men,  and  next  to  her,  and  at  the 
southern  extremity  of  the  line,  lay  the  sloop  Preble,  Lieuten- 
ant Charles  Budd.  This  vessel  carried  seven  guns  and  was 
manned  by  thirty  men.    She  lay  so  near  the  shoal  extending 

29 


226 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


north-east  from  Crab  Island,  as  to  prevent  the  enemy  from 
turning  that  end  of  the  line.  To  the  rear  of  the  line  were 
ten  gun-boats,  six  of  which  mounted  one  long  twenty-four 
pounder  and  one  eighteen  pound  columbiad  each  ;  the  other 
four  carried  one  twelve  pounder.  The  gun-boats  had,  on 
an  average,  thirty-iive  men  each.  Two  of  the  gun-boats  lay 
a  little  north  and  in  rear  of  the  Eagle,  to  sustain  the  head 
of  the  line ;  the  others  were  placed  opposite  the  intervals 
between  the  different  vessels,  and  about  forty  rods  to  their 
rear.  The  gun-boats  were  kept  in  position  by  their  sweeps. 
The  British  fleet  was  composed  of  the  frigate  Confiance, 
carrying  thirty-seven  guns,i  with  over  three  hundred  men, 
commmanded  by  Captain  Downie )  the  brig  Linnet,  Captain 
Pring,  of  sixteen  guns  and  one  hundred  and  twenty  men ; 
the  sloop  Chub,  Lieutenant  McGhee,  and  the  sloop  Finch, 
Lieutenant  Hicks,  each  carrying  eleven  guns  and  about  forty- 
five  men.  To  these  vessels  were  added  twelve  gun-boats  of 
about  forty-five  men  each.  Eight  of  them  carried  two  guns, 
and  ibur,  one  gun  each.  Thus  the  force  of  the  Americans 
consisted  of  one  ship,  one  brig,  one  schooner,  one  sloop  and 
ten  gun-boats,  manned  by  eight  hundred  and  eighty-two  men, 
and  carrying  in  all  eighty-six  guns.  The  British  had  one 
frigate,  one  brig,  two  sloops  and  twelve  gun-boats,  manned 
by  over  one  thousand  men,  and  carrying  in  all  ninety-five  guns. 
The  metal  of  the  vessels  on  both  sides  was  unusually  heavy. 
The  Saratoga  mounted  eight  long  twenty-fours,  six  forty- 
twos,  and  twelve  thirty-twos,  while  the  Confiance  had  the 
gun-deck  of  a  heavy  frigate,  with  thirty  long  twenty-fours 
upon  it.  She  also  had  a  spacious  top  gallant  forecastle,  and 
a  poop  that  came  no  further  forward  than  the  mizen  mast. 
On  the  first  were  a  long  twenty-four  on  a  circle,  and  four  heavy 


1  There  were  thirty-nine  guns  on  board  the  Confiance,  but  two 
of  them  were  not  mounted. —  Cooper. 


\ 


LAKE  CUAMPLAIM. 


227 


carronades;   two  heavy  carronades  were  mounted  on  the 
poop.i 

When  the  British  fleet  appeared  in  sight  the  Finch  led 
and  kept  in  a  course  toward  Crab  Island,  while  the  other 
vessels  hove  to  opposite  the  point  of  Cumberland  Head,  to 
allow  the  gun-boats  to  come  up,  and  to  receive  final  instruc- 
tions as  to  the  plan  of  attack.  The  vessels  then  filled  and 
headed  in  towards  the  American  fleet,  passing  inside  of  the 
point  of  Cumberland  Head ;  the  Chub  laying  her  course  a 
little  to  windward  of  the  Eagle,  in  order  to  support  the  Lin- 
net, which  stood  directly  towards  that  vessel.  Captain 
Downie  had  determined  to  lay  the  Confiance  athwart  the 
Saratoga,  but  the  wind  baffling,  he  was  obliged  to  anchor  at 
about  two  cables  length  from  that  ship.'-  The  Finch,  which 
had  run  about  half  way  to  Crab  Island,  tacked  and  took  her 
station,  with  the  gun -boats,  opposite  the  Ticonderoga  and 
Preble.  , 


1  Cooper's  Naval  History.  Mr.  Alison  (Ristory  of  England,  vol. 
IV) says : 

"  The  relative  strength  of  the  squadron  on  this,  as  in  every 
other  naval  action  during  the  war  where  the  British  were  defeated, 
was  decidedly  in  favor  of  the  Americans  " —  a  statement  unwar- 
ranted by  the  facts,  and  unnecessary  to  sustain  the  high  reputa- 
tion of  the  British  navy.  The  following  are  the  number  and  size 
of  the  guns  used  on  both  fleets. 


AMERICAN. 
14  long  24  pounders. 

C  42  pound  carronades. 
29  32      "  " 

12  long  18  pounders. 
12     "    12        " 

7     u      9        «j 

6  18  pound  Columbiads. 

86  guns. 

96  guns. 

2  Captain  Pring's  account  of  the  battle,  Sept.  12tb,  1814. 


BRITISH. 

81  long  24  pounders. 
7  18 

16  12 
5  6        «« 

12  32  pound  carronades. 
(5  24      "  «« 

17  18      '• 
1  18      '•     Columbiad. 


228 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


As  tho  British  vessels  approached  they  received  the  fire 
of  the  American  fleet  j  the  brig  Eagle  firing  first,  and 
being  soon  followed  by  the  Saratoga  and  the  sloop  and 
schooner.  1  The  Linnet  poured  her  broadside  into  the 
Saratoga  as  she  passed  that  ship  to  take  her  position 
opposite  the  Eagle.  Captain  Downie  brought  his  vessel 
into  action  in  the  most  gallant  manner,  and  did  not  fire 
a  gun  until  he  was  perfectly  secured,  although  his  vessel  suf- 
fered severely  from  the  fire  of  the  Americans.  As  soon, 
however,  as  the  Confiance  had  been  brought  into  position  she 
discharged  all  her  larboard  guns  at  nearly  the  same  instant. 
The  eflFect  of  this  broadside,  thrown  from  long  twenty-four 
pounders,  double  shotted,  in  smooth  water,  was  terrible. 
The  Saratoga  trembled  to  her  very  keel ;  about  forty  of 
her  crew  were  disabled,  including  her  first  lieutenant, 
Mr.  Gamble,  who  was  killed  while  sighting  the  bow  gun. 

Soo'  after  the  commencement  of  the  engagement,  the 
Chub,  while  manoeuvering  near  the  head  of  the  American 
line,  received  a  broadside  from  the  Eagle  which  so  crippled 
her  that  she  drifted  down  between  the  opposing  vessels  and 
struck.  She  was  taken  possession  of  by  Mr.  Charles  Piatt, 
one  of  the  Saratoga's  midshipmen,  and  was  towed  inshore 
and  anchored.  The  Chub  had  suffered  severely,  nearly 
half  of  her  men  having  been  killed   or   wounded.     About 


1  The  first  gun  fired  on  board  the  Saratoga  was  a  long  twenty- 
four,  which  Maodonough  himself  sighted.  The  shot  is  said  to 
have  struck  the  Confiance  near  the  outer  hawse  hole,  and  to  have 
passed  the  length  of  her  deck,  killing  and  wounding  several  men, 
and  carrying  away  the  wheel.  In  clearing  the  decks  of  the 
Saratoga,  some  hen  coops  were  thrown  overboard  and  the  poultry 
permitted  to  run  at  large.  Startled  by  the  report  of  the  opening 
gun  of  the  Eagle,  a  young  cock  flew  upon  a  gun  slide,  clapped 
his  wings  and  crowed.  The  men  gave  three  cheers  and  considered 
the  little  incidence  as  a  happy  omen.  —  Cooper's  Naval  Hittory,  and 
NiMa  Weekly  Register. 

\ 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


229 


an  hour  later  the  Finch  was  driven  from  her  position  by 
the  Ticonderoga,  and  being  badly  injured,  drifted  upon  the 
shoal  near  Crab  Island,  where  she  grounded.  After  being 
fired  into  from  the  small  battery  on  the  island,  sh«:  struck 
and  was  taken  possession  of  by  the  invalids  who  mrinned  the 
battery.  1 

After  the  loss  of  the  Finch  the  British  gun-boats  made 
several  efforts  to  close,  and  succeeded  in  compelling  the 
sloop  Preble  to  cut  her  cables  and  to  anchor  in  shore  of  the 
line,  where  she  was  of  no  more  service  during  the  engage- 
ment. The  gun-boats,  emboldened  by  this  success,  now 
directed  their  efforts  towards  the  Ticonderoga,  against  which 
they  made  several  very  gallant  assaults,  bringing  the  boats, 
upon  two  or  three  occasions,  within  a  few  feet  of  the 
schooner's  side.  They  were,  however,  as  often  beaten  back, 
and  the  schooner,  during  the  remainder  of  the  day,  com- 
pletely covered  that  extremity  of  the  line. 

While  these  changes  were  taking  place  at  the  lower  end 
of  the  line  a  change  was  also  made  at  the  other  extremity. 
The  Eagle,   having  lost  her  springs  and  finding  herself 


^Mr.  Alison  (^History  of  England,  vol.  IV),  referring  to  this  event, 
says  ;  "  The  Finch,  a  British  hrig,  grounded  out  of  shot  and  did 
not  en^a^e;  "  and  again,  <' The  Finch  struck  on  a  reef  of  rocks 
and  could  not  get  into  action."  Had  Mr.  Alison  examined 
Captain  Pring's  official  account  of  the  engagement  he  would  have 
found  in  it  the  following  statement :  "  Lieutenant  Hicks,  of  the 
Finch,  had  the  mortification  to  strike  on  a  reef  of  rocks,  to  'he 
eastward  of  Crab  Island,  about  the  middle  of  the  engaf"  jnt, 
which  prevented  his  rendering  that  assistance  to  the  squadron 
that  might,  from  an  officer  of  such  ability,  have  been  expected." 
It  is  very  convenient  for  the  English  historian  to  convert  a  small 
sloop  of  eleven  guns  and  forty  men  into  a  brig,  and  to  keep  that 
large  vessel  out  of  the  action  altogether ;  but  as  I  have  before  said 
such  statements  are  unnecessary  to  preserve  the  well  earned 
reputation  of  the  British  navy  for  bravery  or  gallantry  in  action. 


230 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


exposed  to  the  fire  of  both  the  Linnet  and  Confiance, 
dropped  down  and  anchored  between  the  Saratoga  and 
Ticonderoga,  and  a  little  in  shore  of  both.  From  this 
position  she  opened  afresh  on  the  Confiance  and  the  British 
gun-boats,  with  her  larboard  guns.  This  change  relieved 
the  brig,  but  left  the  Saratoga  exposed  to  the  whole  fire  of 
the  Linnet,  which  sprung  her  broadsides  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  rake  the  ship  on  her  bows. 

The  fire  from  the  Saratoga  and  Confiance  now  began  ma- 
terially to  lessen,  as  gun  after  gun  on  both  vessels  became 
disabled,  until  at  last  the  Saratoga  had  not  a  single  availa- 
ble gun,  and  th"!  Confiance  was  but  little  better  off.  It  there- 
fore became  necessary  that  both  vessels  should  wind,  to 
continue  the  action  with  any  success.  This  the  Saratoga  did 
after  considerable  delay,  but  the  Confiance  was  less  fortunate, 
as  the  only  effect  of  her  efforts  was  to  force  the  vessel  ahead. 
As  soon  as  the  Saratoga  came  around  she  poured  a  fresh 
broadside  from  her  larboard  guns  into  the  Confiance,  which 
stoo<^  (he  fire  for  a  few  minutes  and  then  struck.  The  ship 
then  brought  her  guns  to  bear  on  the  Linnet,  which  surren- 
dered in  about  fifteen  minutes  afterwards.  At  this  time  the 
British  gun-boats  lay  half  a  mile  in  the  rear,  where  they 
had  been  driven  by  the  sharp  fire  of  the  Ticonderoga  and 
Eagle.  These  boats  lowered  their  colors  as  soon  as  they 
found  the  larger  yesseln  had  submitted,  but  not  being  pur- 
sued, for  the  American  gun-boats  were  sent  to  aid  the  Con- 
fiance and  Linnet  which  were  reported  to  be  in  a  sinking 
condition,  they  escaped  together  with  a  store  sloop  which 
lay  near  the  point  of  Cumberland  Head  during  the  battle. 

The  engagement  continued  for  two  hours  and  a  half,  and 
was  the  most  severely  fought  naval  battle  of  the  war.  The 
Saratoga  had  twenty-eight  men  killed  and  twenty-nine 
wounded ;  the  Eagle  thirteen  killed  and  twenty  wounded ; 
the  Ticonderoga  six  killed  and  six  wounded,  and  the  Preble 


A 


MACDONOUGH'S  VICTORY  ON  LAKE  CHAMPLAIN, 

September  11th,  1814. 


roHtUm  of  the  Vessels  after  the  Battle. 


LAKE  CJIAifPLAiy. 


233 


two  killed.  Tlio  loss  on  the  gun-boats  was  three  killed  and 
three  wounded.  Total  killed  and  wounded,  one  hundred 
and  ten,  bcin«^  equal  to  every  eighth  man  in  the  fleet.  Be- 
sides, the  Saratoga  had  been  hulled  fifty-five  times  and  was 
twice  on  fire;  the  Eagle  was  hulled  thirty-nine  times.  The 
carnage  and  destruction  had  been  as  great  on  the  other  side. 
The  Confiance  had  forty-one  men  killed  and  eighty-thrco 
wounded ;  the  Linnet  reported  her  casualties  at  ten  killed 
and  fourteen  wounded,  but  the  killed  and  wounded  probably 
exceeded  fifty;  the  Chub  was  reported  at  six  killed  and  ten 
wounded,  and  the  Finch  at  two  wounded.  No  account  is 
given  of  the  loss  on  the  gun-boats,  but,  from  their  close  and 
severe  contest  with  the  Ticonderoga,  it  must  have  been  largo. 
The  total  of  killed  and  wounded  on  the  British  side  was 
equal  to  at  least  one  fifth  of  the  whole  number  of  men  in 
their  fleet.  The  Confiance  had  been  hulled  one  hundred  and 
fiv  J  times.  So  severe  had  been  the  contest,  that  at  the  close 
of  the  action  there  was  not  a  mast  in  either  fleet  fit  for  use.^ 
Among  those  killed  on  the  side  of  the  British  were  Captain 
Downie,  who  fell  soon  after  the  action  commenced,  Captain 
Alexander  Anderson,  of  the  marines.  Midshipman  William 
Gunn,  of  the  Confiance,  and  Lieutenant  William  Paul  and 
Boatswain  Charles  Jackson,  of  the  Linnet.  Among  the 
wounded  were  Midshipman  Lee,  of  the  Confiance,  Midship- 
man John  Sinclair,  of  the  Linnet,  and  Lieutenant  Jamca 
McGhee,  of  the  Chub.  The  American  oflBcers  killed  were 
Peter  Gamble,  Ist  Lieutenant  of  the  Saratoga,  John  Stans- 


1  »'I  could  only  look  at  the  enemy's  galleys  going  off,  in  a  shat- 
tered condition  ;  for  there  was  not  a  mast  in  cither  squadron  that 
could  stand  to  make  sail  on ;  the  lower  rigging  being  nearly  all 
shot  away,  hung  down  as  though  it  had  been  just  placed  over  the 
mast  heads."  —  jVac(/ono«///t'«  Report  of  the  battle.  "Our  mnsis, 
yards  and  sails  were  so  shattered,  that  one  looked  like  so  many 
bunches  of  matches,  and  the  other  like  a  bundle  of  rags.  " — Letter 
of  Midshipman  Lee,  of  the  Confiance. 

30 


Hi 


234  LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 

bury,  1st  Lieutenant  of  the  Ticunderoga,  Midshipman  Jamca 
M.  Boldwin  and  Sailing  Master  Rogers  Carter.  Referring 
to  the  death  of  three  of  these  officers,  Mr.  Cooper,  in  his 
History  of  the  Navy,  says:  —  "Lieutenant  Gamble  was  on 
his  knees,  sighting  the  bow -gun,  when  a  shot  entered  the 
port,  split  the  quoin,  drove  a  portion  of  it  against  his  breast 
and  laid  him  dead  on  the  quarter  deck  without  breaking  his 
ekin.  Fifteen  minutes  later  one  of  the  American  shots  struck 
the  muzzle  of  a  twenty-four  on  the  Confiance,  dismounted  it, 
sending  it  bodily  inboard  against  the  groin  of  Captain  Dow- 
nie,  killing  him  also  without  breaking  the  skin.  Lieutenant 
Stansbury  suddenly  disappeared  from  the  bulwarks  forward, 
while  superintending  some  duty  with  the  springs  of  the  Ti- 
condcroga.  Two  days  after  the  action  his  body  rose  to  the 
surface  of  the  water,  and  it  was  found  that  it  had  been  cut 
in  two  by  a  round  shot." 

It  is  said  that  scarcely  an  individual  escaped  on  board  of 
either  the  Confiance  or  Saratoga  without  some  injury. 
Macdonough  was  twice  knocked  down ;  once  by  the  spanker- 
boom,  which  was  cut  in  two  by  a  shot  and  fell  upon  his 
back,  as  he  was  bending  his  body  to  sight  a  gun ;  and  again 
by  the  head  of  a  gunner,  which  was  driven  against  him,  and 
knocked  him  into  the  scuppers.  Mr.  Brum,  the  sailing  mas- 
ter of  the  Saratoga,  had  his  clothes  torn  off  by  a  splinter, 
while  winding  the  ship.  Mr.  Vallette,  acting  Lieutenant, 
had  a  shot-box,  on  which  he  was  standing,  knocked  from 
under  his  feet,  and  he  too  was  once  knocked  down  by  the 
head  of  a  seaman.  It  appears  to  have  been  agreed  on  both 
sides  to  call  no  man  wounded  who  could  keep  out  of  the 
hospital.^  Midshipman  Lee,  of  the  Confiance,  who  was 
wounded  in  the  action,  thus  describes  the  condition  of  that 
vessel.    "  The  havoo  on  both  sides  is  dreadful.    I  don't  think 


1  Cooper's  Naval  Hittory. 


LSKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


235 


tbero  nro  moro  than  five  of  our  men,  out  of  three  hundred, 
but  what  are  killed  or  wounded.  Never  wu»  a  Hhowcr  of 
hail  80  thick,  aH  the  shot  whistling  about  our  cars.  Were 
you  to  see  my  jacket,  wuist-coat  and  trowsers,  you  would  be 
astonished  how  I  escaped  as  I  did,  for  they  are  literally  torn 
all  to  rags  with  shot  and  splinters ;  the  upper  part  of  my  hat 
was  also  shot  away.  There  is  one  of  our  marines  who  was 
in  the  Trafalgar  action  with  Lord  Nelson,  who  says  it  was  a 
mevQ  jlea-Oite  la  comparison  with  this,"' 

As  koon  as  the  British  fleet  were  observed  approaching 
Cumberland  Head,  on  the  morning  of  the  11th,  Sir  George 
Provost  ordered  Geiien  1  Power's  brigade,  and  a  part  of 
General  Robinson's  k^rigade,  consisting  of  four  companies 
of  light  infantry,  and  the  3d  battalions  of  the  27th  and  70th, 
to  force  the  fords  of  the  Saranac,  and  to  assault  the  Ameri- 
can works.  The  advance  was  made,  and  the  batteries  were 
opened,  the  moment  the  action  on  the  lake  commenced. 

The  British  attempted  to  cross  the  river  at  three  points ; 
at  the  village  bridge,  where  they  were  repulsed  by  the 
artillery  and  guards  under  Captains  Brooks,  Richards  and 
Smith;  at  the  upper  bridge,  where  they  were  foiled  by 
the  pickets  and  riflemen,  under  Captain  Grovenor  and 
Lieutenants  Hamilton  and  Smith,  supported  by  a  detach- 
ment of  militia ;  and  at  the  ford  near  Pike's  cantonment, 
where  they  were  resisted  by  the  New  York  militia,  under 
Major  General  Mooers  and  Brigadier  General  Wright.  At 
this  latter  point  several  companies  succeeded  in  crossing,  dri- 


*  Letter  to  his  brother,  ^uhWahedin  Nilet' s  Reffister,  vol.  VIII.  The 
result  of  the  engagement  depended,  from  the  first,  upon  the  Sftra- 
toga  and  Gonfiance.  When  Macdonough  anchored  his  vessel  he 
not  only  attached  springs  to  the  cables,  but  also  laid  a  kedge 
broad  off  on  each  bow  of  the  Saratoga,  and  brought  the  hawsers 
in  upon  the  two  quarters.  To  this  timely  precaution  he  was  in- 
debted for  the  victory,  for  without  the  larboard  hawser  he  could 
not  have  brought  his  fresh  broadside  into  action. 


i< 


236  LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 

ving  the  militia  before  them  towards  Salmon  River.  The 
British  advanced,  firing  by  platoons,  but  with  such  careless- 
ness of  aim  as  to  do  but  little  injury.'  At  Salmon  River 
the  militia  were  joined  by  a  large  detachment  of  the  Ver- 
mont volunteers,  and  were  soon  afterwards  reinforced  by 
Lieutenant  Sumpter,  with  a  party  of  artillery  and  a  field- 
piece.  Here  they  rallied  and  were  drawn  up  to  meet  the 
attack  of  the  British  troops,  who  were  rapidly  approach- 
ing. Just  at  this  moment  an  officer-  rode  up  to  the  ran  ks, 
proclaiming  the  welcome  intelligence  that  the  British  fleet 
had  surrendered.  With  three  hearty  cheers  the  militia 
immediately  pressed  forward  against  the  enemy,  who,  having 
been  at  the  same  moment  recalled,  were  now  rapidly  retiring 
toward  the  ford.  In  their  retreat  a  company  of  the  76th 
lost  their  way  among  the  thick  pines,  where  they  were 
surrounded  and  attacked  by  several  companies  of  militia 
and  Vermont  volunteers.  Three  Lieutenants  and  twenty- 
seven  men  were  made  prisoners,  and  Captain  Purchase  and 
the  rest  of  the  company  killed.'*  The  rest  of  the  British 
detachment  regained  the  north  bank  of  the  Saranac  without 
much  loss.^  • 


1 1  have  conversed  with  several  who  boast  of  their  activity  during 
this  retreat,  and  who  felt  a  personal  interest  in  the  subject  at  the 
time,  and  they  all  state  that  the  balls,  at  each  volley,  struck  the 
pine  trees  at  least  fifteen  feet  from  the  ground. 

2  Chancellor  Walworth,  then  aid-de-camp  to  Major  General 
Mooers. 

>It  is  said  Captain  Purchase  was  shot  down  while  waving  a 
handkerchief  over  his  head  as  a  notice  that  he  had  surrendered. 

*SirGeorgeProvo8t,  in  his  account  of  the  battle,  says:  "Scarcely 
had  his  majesty's  troops  forced  a  passage  across  the  Saranac  and 
ascended  the  heights  on  which  stand  the  American  uorks,"  &,c. — This 
would  imply  that  the  British  had  gained  ground  near  the  forts,  but 
Buch  was  not  the  case.  The^  crossed  nearly  two  miles  above  the 
forts,  and  followed  the  militia/rom,  instead  of  towards  the  Ameri- 
can works.  V 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN.  '  gg^ 

Although  no  further  attempt  was  made  to  cross  the  river, 
the  British  batteries  continued  their  fire  upon  the  American 
works  until  sun-down.  This  fire  was  returned  by  the  guns  of 
Fort  Brown,  which  were  managed  during  the  day  with  great 
skill,  by  Captain  Alexander  Brooks  and  the  corps  of  veteran 
artillery  under  his  command. 

Sir  George  Provost  had  now  under  his  command  over 
thirteen  thousand  troops,  more  than  half  of  whom  had  served 
with  distinction  under  Wellington,  while  the  American  force 
did  not  exceed  fifteen  hundred  regulars  fit  for  duty,  two 
thousand  five  hundred  Vermont  volunteers,  under  Major 
General  Strong,  six  hundred  of  whom  had  just  arrived,  and 
General  Wright's  brigade  of  Clinton  and  Essex  militia,  seven 
hundred  strong,  under  command  of  Major  General  Mooers. 
With  his  superior  force  Provost  could  have  forced  the 
passage  of  the  Saranac,  and  have  crushed  Macomb  by  the 
mere  weight  of  numbers.  But  the  victory  would  have  been 
attended  with  great  sacrifice  of  life,  and  would  have  led  . 
to  no  permanent  advantage  to  the  British.  Macdonough 
was  in  command  of  the  lake;  reinforcements  of  regulars 
were  hastening  to  the  support  of  Macomb ;  the  militia  were 
rising  en  masse  in  every  quarter,  and  within  two  weeks 
Provost  would  have  been  surrounded,  his  supplies  from  Can- 
ada cut  off,  and  an  only  alternative  left  to  force  his  way 
back  with  the  loss  of  half  his  army,  or  to  have  surrendered. 
In  a  dispatch  to  Earl  Bathurst,  after  referring  to  the  loss  of 
the  fleet,  he  says:  "This  unlocked  for  event  depriving  mo 
of  the  cooperation  of  the  fleet,  without  which  the  further 
prosecution  of  the  service  was  become  impracticable,  I  did 
not  hesitate  to  arrest  the  course  of  the  troops  advancing  to 
the  attack,  because  the  most  complete  success  would  have 
been  unavailing;  and  the  possession  of  the  enemy's  works 
offered  no  advantage  to  compensate  for  the  loss  we  must 
have  sustained  in  acquiring  possession  of  them. 


K; 


238  LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 

This  was  a  just  and  merited  oompliment  to  the  skill  and 
bravery  of  the  American  regulars  and  militia.  The  former 
were  few  in  number,  but  resolute  and  unflinching.  Among 
the  latter  the  greatest  enthusiasm  now  prevailed.  They  had 
become  accustomed  to  the  "  smell  of  powder,"  and  animated 
by  the  recollection  of  Macdonough's  victory,  were  ready  to 
oppose  any  force  that  might  attempt  the  passage  of  the  Sa- 
ranac.  It  is  due  to  the  patriotism  of  the  citizens  of  Vermont 
to  mention  the  fact,  that  as  soon  as  Governor  Chittenden  re- 
ceived information  from  General  Macomb  of  the  invasion 
by  the  enemy,  he  issued  a  spirited  address,  calling  on  the 
Vermont  militia  to  rally  to  the  aid  of  their  countrymen  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  lake.  This  address  was  most  nobly 
responded  to,  for  when  the  requisition  of  the  president  for  a 
reinforcement  of  two  thousand  militia  reached  the  governor, 
he  replied  that  the  order  had  not  only  been  anticipated,  but 
far  exceeded,  by  the  voluntary  enrollment  of  his  fellow  citi- 
zens. The  same  enthusiasm  pervaded  the  militia  on  the 
New  York  side.  When  Major  General  Mooers's  orders  were 
received  for  the  militia  of  Warren  and  Washington  counties 
to  assemble  and  march  to  the  frontier,  there  appeared  under 
arms  two  hundred  and  fifty  men  more  than  had  ever  mus- 
tered at  an  inspection  or  review. 

Acting  upon  the  considerations  stated  in  his  dispatch  to 
Earl  Bathurst,  Sir  George  Provost  prepared  for  an  instant 
and  hasty  retreat.  As  soon  as  the  sun  went  down  he  dis- 
mantled his  batteries,  and,  at  9  o'clock  at  night,  sent  off 
his  heavy  baggage  and  artillery,  which  were  quickly  followed 
by  the  main  army ;  the  rear  guard,  consisting  of  a  light 
brigade,  started  a  little  before  day-break,  leaving  behind 
them  vast  quantities  of  provisions,  tents,  camp  equipage, 
ammunition,  &o.  The  sick  and  wounded  were  also  left 
behind,  consigned  to  the  generosity  and  humane  care  of 
General  Macomb.    So  silent  and  rapid  was  the  retreat,  that 


LAKE  CEAMPLAIN. 


i 


239 


the  main  army  had  passed  through  Beekmantown  before 
its  absence  was  known  in  the  American  camp.  The  light 
troops,  volunteers  and  militia  were  immediately  sent  in 
pursuit.  They  followed  the  retiring  column  as  far  aa 
Chazy,  and  took  a  few  prisoners.  The  roads  were  muddy, 
and  very  heavy  at  the  time,  which  not  only  prevented 
further  pursuit,  but  delayed  Provost's  retreat.  The  last 
of  the  British  army  did  not  leave  Champlain  until  the 
24th. 

General  Macomb,  in  his  returns,  states  the  number  of 
killed,  wounded  and  missing  of  the  regular  force  under 
his  command,  during  the. skirmishes  and  bombardment,  at 
one  hundred  and  twenty-three.  The  only  commissioned 
officer  killed  was  Lieutenant  George  W.  Runk,  of  the  6th 
regiment,  who  was  severely  wounded  on  the  7th  and  died 
the  next  day.  The  loss  among  the  volunteers  and  militia 
was  small.  That  of  the  British  has  never  been  correctly 
-scertained.  Their  accounts  fix  the  casualties  of  the  ex- 
tion  at  under  two  hundred  killed  and  wounded,  and 
*<>  j;  hundred  lost  by  desertion.  This,  however,  is  far  below 
the  true  number.  At  the  time,  the  American  officers 
believed  the  total  loss  of  the  British,  from  the  time  they 
first  crossed  the  lines  until  they  again  entered  Canada,  in 
killed,  wounded  and  prisoners,  and  by  desertion,  was  over 
two  thousand  men.     Seventy-five  prisoners  were  taken. ^ 


'  The  following  list  of  British  officers  killed  or  wounded  during 
the  invasion,  was  published  in  the  London  Gazette  of  the  10th 
and  26th  November,  1814. 

Killed.  —  Captain  (Brevet  Lieut.  Col.)  .Tames  Willington  and 
Ensign  John  Chapman,  of  the  3d  Buffs.  Captain  John  Purchase, 
76th  regiment,  foot. 

Wounded.  —  Captain  T.  Crosse,  A.  D.  C.  (slightly) ;  Lieut.  R. 
Kingsbury,  severely  (since  dead) ;  Lieut.  John  West  (severely)  ;• 
Lieutenants  Benson  and  Holmes  (slightly) ;  all  of  the  3d  Buffs. 
Captain  L.  Westropp  (severely,) ;  Lieut.  C.  Brohier  and  Ao^utant 
Lewis  (slightly);  of  the  58th  regiment,  foot. 


240 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


On  the  12th  the  Vermont  volunteers  returned  home,  and 
on  the  13th  the  New  York  militia  were  disbanded  by 
General  Macomb,  and  orders  issued  countermanding  the 
march  of  thousands  who  were  flocking  to  the  frontier. 

On  the  morning  of  the  13th  of  September  the  remains  of 
the  lamented  Gamble,  Stansbury,  Baldwin,  Carter 
and  Barron  were  placed  in  separate  boats,  which,  manned 
by  crews  from  their  respective  vessels,  proceeded  to  the 
Confinance,  where  they  were  joined  by  the  British  officers, 
with  the  bodies  of  Downie,  Anderson,  Paul,  Gunn  and 
Jackson.  At  the  shore  of  the  lake  the  procession  was 
joined  by  a  large  concourse  of  the  military  and  citizens  of 
Plattsburgh,  who  accompanied  the  bodies  to  the  village 
burial  ground.  Near  the  centre  of  the  grave-yard,  beneath 
the  shade  of  two  pines,  now  rest  the  ashes  of  those  gallant 
o£licers.  The  sailors  and  marines  who  fell  in  the  engage- 
ment were  buried  on  Crab  Island,  side  by  side  in  one 
common  grave. 

With  the  battle  of  Plattsburgh  closed  all  active  operations 
upon  the  Champlain  frontier.  For  several  months,  however, 
the  inhabitants  were  kept  in  a  state  of  alarm,  as  it  was 
rumored  that  the  British  authorities  contemplated  another 
campaign.  Major  General  Mooers,  of  New  York,  and 
Major  General  Strong,  of  Vermont,  ordered  their  respective 
divisions  of  militia  to  hold  themselves  in  readiness  for 
active  service.  General  Macomb  remained  at  Plattsburgh 
with  a  small  force,  and  caused  two  redoubts  to  be  thrown 
up  a  short  distance  to  the  south  of  Fort  Moreau,  which  he 
named  Fort  Tompkins  and  Fort  Gaines. 

The  treaty  of  Ghent  was  signed  on  the  24th  of  December, 
1814,  and,  on  the  17th  of  February  following,  was  ratified 
by  the  United  States  senate.  With  the  publication  of  this 
treaty  all  fears  of  further  hostilies  ceased. 


\ 

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AN  ACCOUNT c 

APPENDIX. 


the  Battle  of  Plattshiirgh,  by  the  Citizens  of  Plattsbiirgh 
and  the  Clinton  County  Mititary  Association,  Scptem- 
Jer  IK/t,  1843. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Clinton  county  Military  association, 
held  on  the  21st  of  August,  1843,  it  was,  on  motion  of 
Major  A.  A.  Prescott, 

Resolved,  That  this  association  do  celebrate,  in  some 
appropriate  manner,  the  anniversary  of  the  Battle  of  Platts- 
burgh  on  the  eleventh  of  September  next. 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  three  be  appointed  to  confer 
with  the  trustees  of  the  village,  and  make  arrangements 
for  the  celebration. 

Maj,  Gen.  Skinner,  Brig.  Gen.  Halsey  and  Col.  Moore 
were  appointed  said  committee. 

The  following  named  gentlemen  were  duly  appointed  a 
committee  on  the  part  of  the  citizens  to  confer  with  the 
committee  of  the  Military  association  in  making  the  neces- 
sary arrangements  for  the  proper  celebration  of  the  day : 

William  F.  Haile,  Moss  K.  Piatt,  D.  B.  McNeil,  C.  S. 
Mooers,  R.  A.  Gilman,  G.  M.  Beckwith,  G.  W.  Palmer,  S. 
Couch,  Benj.  Ketchum,  R.  A.  Weed,  J.  Bailey,  Peter  S. 
Palmer,  T.  Peforris,  William  H.  Morgan,  J.  W.  Tuttle.     . 

31 


242 


LAKE  CBAMPLAIN. 


At  a  meeting  of  the  joint  committee  of  arrangements, 
Col.  D.  13.  McNeil  (who  was  acting  asaistant  adjutant 
general  of  the  militia  forces  at  Plattsburgh,  in  Sept.,  1814) 
was  designated  to  act  as  president  of  the  day,  and  the  fol- 
lowing resolutions  were  adopted : 

Resolved,  That  the  citizens  of  Plattsburgh,  in  connection 
with  such  other  persons  as  may  unite  with  them,  will,  on  the 
11th  ofSeptcmber,  instantly  proceed  to  the  erection  of  plain 
marble  monuments  to  mark  the  several  spots  where  rest  the 
mortal  remains  of  the  American  and  British  officers  who 
fell  at  the  memorable  battle  of  Plattsburgh. 

Resolved,  That  11.  A.  Gilman,  George  Moore  and  Roby 
G.  Stone  be  a  committee  to  procure  the  monuments  and  make 
the  necessary  arrangements  to  carry  out  the  foregoing  reso- 
lution. 

Resolved,  That  Brig.  Gen.  Wool,  and  Lt.  Col.  B.  Biley,  of 
the  U.  S.  Army,  be  requested  to  unite  with  the  citizens  and 
military  of  this  place,  in  the  proposed  celebration,  and  the 
erection  of  the  monuments  above  mentioned. 

Resolved,  That  Gen.  Skinner,  Gen.  Halsey,  and  Col.  R.  G. 
Stone  be  the  committee  of  invitation. 

Resolutions  were  also  passed  inviting  the  United  States 
Officers  and  troops  stationed  at  this  post,  the  surviving  officers 
and  soldiers  of  the  regular  army,  the  Clinton  and  Essex 
militia,  and  the  Vermont  volunteers  who  participated  in  the 
events  of  that  time,  to  unite  with  us  in  the  proposed  celebra- 
tion. 

In  accordance  with  the  above  arrangements,  the  anniver- 
sary of  the  battle  of  Plattsburgh  was  celebrated  in  an 
appropriate  manner  by  the  Clinton  county  Military  associa- 
tion and  the  citizens  of  Plattsburgh  and  its  vicinity  generally, 
on  Monday  last.  General  Wool  and  suite,  and  several  other 
gentlemen  who  were  in  the  battle  of  the  11th,  were  present 
by  special  invitation. 


\ 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


243 


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The  procession  was  formed  at  Fouquct's  Hotel  at  10 
o'clock,  under  the  direction  of  Gen.  C.  Ilalsey,  chief  marshal, 
assisted  by  Messrs.  0.  S.  Mooers,  G.  W.  Palmer  and  11.  G. 
Stone,  escorted  by  the  United  States  troops  at  this  post,  under 
the  command  of  Capt.  C.  A.  Waite,  and  moved  to  the  park, 
in  front  of  the  court  house,  where  an  able  and  patriotic 
address  was  delivered  by  Col.  A.  C.  jMoore,  to  a  large  and 
attentive  audience  of  ladies  and  gentlemen. 

After  the  address  the  procession  was  again  formed  and 
moved  to  the  burying  ground,  where  a  square  was  formed  by 
the  U.  S.  troops  and  the  Military  association,  around  the  un- 
marked graves  of  those  who  fell  in  the  battle  of  Plattsburgh. 

After  a  prayer  by  the  llev.  Mr.  Witherspoon,  and  an  ad- 
dress byGen.  Skinner,  the  president  of  the  day(Col.  McNiel) 
said: 

"Fellow  citizens:  The  president  of  the  day  has  desig- 
nated our  distinguished  guest,  Urigadier  General  Wool,  of 
the  United  States  army,  who  commanded  the  detachinciit 
of  American  regular  troops  opposed  to  that  division  of  the 
British  army  which  advanced  upon  Plattsburgh  by  the 
Beekmantown  Road,  on  the  Gth  of  September,  181-4,  to  erect 
a  monument  at  the  head  of  the  grave  of  Col.  Willington,  of 
the  3d  regiment  of  British  Buffs,  who  gallantly  fell  at  the 
head  of  his  regiment  at  Culver's  Hill,  on  the  Beekmantown 
Road,  in  the  memorable  battle  of  the  Gth  of  September, 
1814. 

"The  division  of  the  British  army  in  which  the  brave  and 
lamented  AVillington  fell,  was  not  less  than  4,000  stroag  j 
and  when  we  take  into  view  the  fact  that  General  Wool 
(then  a  major),  with  a  light  corps  of  but  250  regular  truops 
all  told,  contested  every  inch  of  ground  with  this  formidable 
force  in  their  descent  upon  Plattsburgh,  the  selection  of 
General  Wool  to  perform  the  melancholy  duty  assigned  to 
Lim  cannot  fail  to  give  deep  interest  to  the  solemn  occasion 


^/ 


244 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


) 


which  brought  us  together  upon  this  hallowed  spot.  Noth- 
ing can  be  more  appropriate  than  that  the  monument  about 
to  be  erected  should  be  raised  by  the  hand  of  an  officer  who 
bore  an  honorable  and  conspicuous  part  in  the  events  of  the 
memorable  day  on  which  the  gallant  Willington  fell.  It  is 
a  pleasing  spectacle  to  see  the  living  brave  doing  honor  to 
the  memory  of  the  illustrious  dead." 

Gen.  Wool  proceeded  to  discharge  the  duty  assigned  him, 
and  said : 

*'  Fellow  citizens  and  soldiers :  The  duty  assigned  me 
by  the  president  of  the  day,  in  behalf  of  the  citizens  of  Platts- 
burgh  and  the  Military  association  of  the  county  of  Clinton, 
is  no  less  gratifying  to  me  than  it  is  honorable  and  magnan- 
imous to  its  authors,  and  will  furnish  an  example  worthy  of 
imitation  for  all  time  to  come.  It  is  not  less  a  holy  and  pious 
offering  to  the  illustrious  dead,  than  the  offspring  of  noble 
and  generous  hearts  to  a  fallen  foe,  and  will  furnish  themes 
of  praise  to  the  end  of  time.  It  will  be  a  healing  balm  to 
the  wounded  hearts  of  relatives  and  friends  whilst  it  will 
not  fail  to  call  forth  from  every  Briton  who  passes  this  conse- 
crated spot,  tears  of  gratitude  as  well  as  tears  of  sympathy. 

"With  these  brief  remarks,  I  now  erect,  in  behalf  of  the 
citizens  of  Plattsburgh  and  the  Military  association  of  Clin- 
ton county,  this  monument  to  the  memory  of  Colonel  Wil- 
lington, who  fell  the  6th  of  September,  1814,  at  Culver's 
Hill,  leading  to  the  charge  the  advance  of  the  British  army 
marching  on  Plattsburgh." 

The  President  of  the  day  said : 

"  Fellow  citizens :  Ouresteemed  fellow  citizen.  Judge  Haile, 
late  a  captain  in  the  United  States  army,  will  now  proceed 
to  place  monuments  at  the  respective  graves  of  Captain  Pur- 
chase, late  of  the  British  army,  Lieut.  Runk,  late  of  the  6th 
regiment  United  States  infantry,  and  Ensign  John  Chapman, 
late  of  the  3d  Buffs." 


LAKE  VHAMPLAIN. 


245 


Tho  president  of  the  day,  in  designating  Judge  Haile  to 
perform  the  duty  assigned  to  him,  did  so  from  a  full  know- 
ledge of  the  fact,  that  no  oflBcer  of  his  rank  ever  left  tho 
army  of  the  United  States  with  a  higher  and  more  enviable 
reputation  as  a  fearless  and  fighting  officer,  than  did  Captain 
Haile. 

Judge  Haile  proceeded  to  the  duty  assigned  him  with 
suitable  remarks. 

The  President  of  the  day  then  said  : 

"  Fellow  citizens  :  To  Colonels  Miller  and  Manley,  and 
Maj.  Gen.  Skinner,  all  of  whom  bore  a  distinguished  part  in 
the  battles  of  Beekmantown  and  Plattsburgh,  is  assigned  tho 
honor  of  erecting  monuments  to  the  memory  of  Lieutenant 
Peter  Gamble,  United  States  navy,  John  Stansbury,  United 
States  navy,  and  Midshipman  James  M.  Baldwin,  United 
States  navy." 

The  gentlemen  above  mentioned  proceeded  to  discharge 
the  duty  assigned  them,  accompanied  by  appropriate  re- 
marks. 

The  President  said : 

"  To  our  esteemed  fellow  citizen,  Piatt  R.  Halsted  Esq., 
late  a  Lieutenant  in  the  United  States  army,  I  assign  the 
honoi:  of  placing  monuments  at  the  graves  of  Captain  Al- 
exander Anderson,  of  the  British  marines;  Lieutenant  Wil- 
liam Paul,  midshipman ;  William  Gunn  and  Boatswain 
Charles  Jackson,  of  the  British  navy,  and  Joseph  Barron, 
pilot  on  board  Commodore  Macdonough's  ship  —  all  of 
whom  fell  in  the  naval  engagement  in  Cumberland  Bay,  off 
Plattsburgh,  on  the  11th  of  September,  1814. 

"  Joseph  Barron,  pilot,  was  personally  known  to  Lieut. 
Halsted  and  myself,  and  was  a  man  held  in  high  estimation 
for  his  intelligence  and  patriotism  by  all  who  had  the 
pleasure  of  his  acquaintance." 


i. 


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246 


LAKE  CUAMPLAIN. 


I 


I       \ 


Lieut.  Halstcd,  in  the  discharge  of  the  duty  assigned 
him,  erected  the  monuments  tit  the  head  of  the  gnives  of 
the  three  lieutenants  of  the  British  navy,  and  proceeded  to 
the  grave  of  Joseph  IJarron,  and  as  near  as  we  could  catch 
his  remarks,  spoke  as  follows  : 

*'  I  take  a  melancholy  pleasure  in  erecting  this  raonnraent 
at  the  head  of  the  grave  of  Joseph  Barron,  Commodore 
Macdonough's  confidential  pilot,  I  'cnew  him  well  —  ho 
was  about  my  own  age — we  were  school  boys  together  —  a 
warmer  hearted  or  a  braver  man  never  trod  the  deck  of  a 


Lieut,  Springer,  late  of  the  United  States  army,  was 
designated  by  the  president  of  the  day,  to  erect  the  monu- 
ment at  the  head  of  the  grave  of  Sailing  Master  Rogers 
Carter,  United  States  navy,  and  proceeded  to  discharge 
that  duty. 

A  benediction  was  then  pronounced  by  Rev.  Mr.  Wither- 
spoon,  and  the  procession  returned  to  Fouquet's  Hotel,  where 
the  committee  of  arraugemeuis,  the  invited  guests  and  the 
Military  association  partook  of  an  excellent  dinner,  got  up 
in  Fouquet's  best  style. 

Among  the  sentiments  offered  on  this  occasion  was  the 
following  by  General  Skinner : 

Brig.  General  Wool,  United  States  army  —  the  hero  of 
Beekmantown  as  well  as  Queenstown. 

"  His  laurels  are  green,  though  hia  locks  are  gray." 

General  Wool,  with  much  feeling,  responded  to  this  sen- 
timent as  follows : 

"  Mr.  President :  I  rise  with  a  heart  overflowing  with 
gratitude  to  respond  to  the  sentiment  just  given  by  my 
friend  at  the  other  end  of  the  table.  I  find  it  impossible, 
however,  filled  as  I  am  with  emotion,  to  make  a  speech,  or 
give  utterance  to  my  feelings  in  a  manner  worthy  of  the 
occasion.     Were  it  otherwise,  I  could  say  but  little  that 


LAKE  CIlAHrPLAiy. 


'J47 


has  not  already  bjcn  8uid.     I  might  speak  of  the  campaigns 
of  1812   and   '13,   which   closed  with   the   most  gloomy 
forebodings.     I  might  also  speak  of  the  campaigns  (»f  1S14, 
when  the  mantle  of  darkness  was  cast  off,  and  a  blaze  of 
light  shone  forth   along   the    frontier   from    Fort   Erie   to 
I'lattsburgh,   and   imally  closed,  with   a  brilliancy   seldom 
equalled,  on  the  plains  of  New  Orleans.     IJut  these  periods 
have   already   been    noticed   and    described   in    the   most 
eloquent  and  stirring  language.     Therefore,   little  remains 
for  me  to  add,  could  I  give  utterance  to  my  feelings,  but  to 
express    my  warmest  thanks  for  the  kind  partiality  with 
•which  you  have  been  pleased  to   allude  to  my  services.     I 
would,  however,  remark  that  although  at  one  period  of  the 
war   darkness   and  despondency  appeared  to  pervade  our 
beloved  country,  there  was  one  bright  spot  exempt  from  the 
general  gloom.     It  was  here  in  this  place,  IMattsburgh,  that 
the  patriotic  inhabitants  never  wavered  nor  quailed  before 
the  legions  of  Great  Britain.     They  stood  by  their  country 
in  the  darkest  hour,  and  never  failed  to  cheer  and  comfort 
the  war  worn  soldier,  and  to   receive  him  with  open   arms, 
whether  he   returned  victorious,  or  was  driven  back  by  the 
force  of  circumstances.     Who  that  was   at  Plattsburgh  in 
1812,  '  13  and  '  14,  does  not  remember  with  delight  Moocrs, 
Smith,  Sailly,   Delord,   Bailey,  Palmer   and    Ransom,   all 
patriotic  citizens  and  devoted   friends  of  their   country  in 
war  as  well  as  in  peace,  but  who  now  rest   in   the  mansions 
of  eternal  bliss.     With  these  few  remarks,  Mr.  President,  I 
would  offer  this  sentiment  — 

"The  citizens  of  Plattsburgh  and  the  Military  association 
of  Clinton  county  —  This  day  attests  their  magnanimity 
and  greatness  of  soul,  by  the  homage  paid  to  the  illustrious 
dead  who  fell  fighting  the  battles  of  their  country." 


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i: 


POSITION   OF    THE    GRAVES, 

WITH  TOK  IMgCIUFTIONM  ON  TUB  MONUMKNTB  ERKCTED  SEPT.  11,  1&13. 

WEST. 


Lieut. 

O.   W.    BUNK, 

fith  Kc(,'t.  U.  S. 
Army,  8th  Sept. 


Colonel 

■WIM.INOTON, 

HA  Ileut.  Diiffg, 

B.  Army, 
0th  Sept.  1814. 


Enitign 

J.  CHAPMAN, 

3d  Duffs, 

B.  Army, 

flth  Sept.  1814. 


Lieut. 

n.  KiNaHBunT, 
3d  Buffrt, 
D.  Army. 

0th  Sept.,  1814. 


Lieut. 

PETBB  GAMBLE, 

U.  S.  N. 
11th  Sept.  1814. 


Lieut. 
John  Stansbury 

U.  S.  N. 
11th  Sept.  1814. 


Sailing  Master 

ItOOERS  CARTER, 

U.  S.  N. 
nth  Sept.  1814. 


Midshipman 

J.  M.  BALDWIN, 

U.  S.  N. 
11th  Sept.  1814. 


O 


Pilot 

JOSEPH  BARRON 

Ship  Saratoga, 
nth  Sept.  1814. 


HACUBD 

to  the  memory  of 

GEORGE   DOWNIE,  Esq., 

A  Post  Captain  in  the  Royal  Brit. 
Navy,  who  gloriously  fell  on 
board  His  1?.  M.  S.  the  Con- 
llancu,  while  leading  the 
vessels  under  his  com- 
mand to  the 
attAck  of  the  American  Flotilla, 
at  anchor  In  Cumberland  Bay, 

off  Plattsburgh, 
on  the  nth  Sei)tembcr,  1814, 

To  marie  the  spot  where  the  remains 
of  a  gallant  officer  and  sincere 
friend  were  honorably  interred, 

this  stone  has  been  erected  by  his 
affectionate  Sister-ln-Law, 

MABY  DOWNIB. 


Boatswain 

CUA8.  JACKSON, 

B.  Navy, 
nth  Sept.  1814. 


CAPT.  PURCHASE 

70th  Regt. 

B.  Army. 

nth  Sept.  1814. 


ALX.  ANDERSON, 

Capt.  Marines, 

B.  Navy, 
nth  Sept.  1814. 


Acting  Lieut. 

WILLIAM  PAUL, 

B.  Navy, 
nth  Sept.  1814. 


Midshipman 

WTLLLAM  OUNN, 

B.  Navy, 
nth  Sept.  1814. 


EAST. 


LAKE  CBAMPLAIN. 


Anecdotes  of  the  Battle  of  Plattihurgh. 
The  following  anecdotes  are  copied  from  Nilct't 
Register,  vol.  VIII. 


249 


Weeklj/ 


The  wounded  of  both  fleets  and  our  army,  the  same  even- 
ing, were  landed  at  our  cantonment  on  the  island.  The  enemy 
was  not  neglected;  prompt  assistance  was  ir.discriminately 
rendered.  Those  who  had  but  one  hon^  previous  been  deadly 
foes,  now  lodged  by  each  other's  side,  like  brothers  and 
friends,  giving  and  receiving  the  tenderest  words  of  con- 
solation. 

It  is  as  true  that  Macdonough  is  relief  us,  aa  that  he  is 
a  brave  man.  He  made  a  most  appropriate  prayer  ovei  the 
dead,  previous  to  their  interment.  The  following  anecdote 
will  interest  you.  At  the  moment  the  British  were  '*  i&ring 
down,  an  officer  asked  permission  of  the  commodore  to  issue 
an  extra  ration  of  grog  to  the  men.  ''  No,"  was  the  reply 
"my  men  shall  go  cool  into  action,  excited  by  r  >  stimu- 
lus except  their  native  valor." 

On  the  11th  September,  after  the  British  column,  which 
crossed  the  Saranao,  had  broken,  and  the  men  were  making 
the  best  of  their  way  back,  Hazen  Mooers  and  Mr.  Brooks 
and  Sta£ford  pursued  a  party  of  the  enemy's  ligh'  troopsi 
double  their  number,  for  nearly  two  miles,  keeping  up  a 
constant  fire  upon  them,  which  they  returned  occasionally. 
At  length  the  British  party  hesitated  about  the  course  they 
were  pursuing,  and  our  men  told  them  they  were  lost  and 
called  upon  them  to  surrender,  which  they  consented  to  after 
obtaining  a  pledge  from  the  militiamer,  'i>-at  they  should  be 
well  treated.  Scarcely  had  the  captors  made  their  disposition 
for  bringing  in  their  prize,  when  two  other  British  soldiers 
came  back  and  commenced  a  fir''  v;u  them,  reproaching  their 

32 


^P, 


250  LAKE  CHAMFLAIN. 

comrades  for  having,  five  of  them  completely  equipped,  sur- 
rendered to  three  militia  riflemen.  With  five  prisoners  in 
custody,  who  might  attempt  to  retake  themselves,  encum- 
bered with  the  equipment  of  their  captives,  and  no  aid  within 
reach,  our  riflemen  were  eager  only  to  get  off  with  the 
prisoners ;  but  the  soldiers  were  so  obstinate  in  the  pursuit, 
finding  no  resistance,  that  Mr.  Stafford  concealed  himself 
and  waited  their  near  aproach,  when  he  gave  one  of  the 
soldiers  a  deadly  shot,  and  the  other  relinquished  the  pursuit. 
The  prisoners,  a  corporal  and  four  men,  were  brought  in 
to  General  Mooers. 


On  the  same  day,  a  few  of  our  militia,  conducted  by  Cap- 
tain Aiken,  of  Essex  county,  overtook  a  party  who  had 
Major  Skinner,  whom  they  had  made  prisoner — the  party 
attempted  to  ford  the  river.  When  about  halfway  across,  the 
men  who  held  the  major  were  shot  down  by  his  side  —  one 
of  them  held  so  fast  to  his  sleeve  as  to  tear  off  the  cuff  of 
his  coat,  and  the  current  took  them  down  the  stream.  Maj. 
Skinner,  however,  extricated  himself  and  swam  ashore. 
The  residue  of  the  party  threw  down  their  arms,  and  cried 
out,  "  For  God's  sake  spare  our  lives."  The  firing  ceased : 
Captain  Aiken  brought  in  several  prisoners,  and  Major 
Skinner,  whom  he  rescued  from  their  hands.  Major  S. 
was  previously  robbed  of  his  equipage  and  about  one  hun- 
dred dollars  in  money,  which  he  did  not  recover. 

During  the  siege,  Abel  Chamberlin  and  Eli  Lewis  crossed 
the  Saranac,  and  made  an  officer  prisoner.  He  was  in  a 
house  about  twenty  rods  from  a  British  picket  —  they  took 
him  out  of  the  back  door,  put  one  of  their  coats  upon  him, 
and  piloted  him  through  the  woods  to  the  upper  bridge, 
and  from  thence  to  Salmon  Biver,  a  distance  of  about  twelve 
or  fourteen  miles. 


LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


251 


On  the  morning  of  the  9th  September,  two  citizens  of 
the  town  found  a  soldier  of  the  British  army  asleep  in  his 
tent,  and  made  him  prisoner.  In  coming  into  town  they 
were  joined  by  another  citizen — none  of  them  had  arms: 
About  a  quarter  of  a  mile  west  of  the  village  they  met  three 
British  soldiers,  armed,  going  on  to  join  the  army.  When 
within  a  few  paces  of  each  other,  the  citizens  sprang  upon 
the  soldiers,  disarmed  and  brought  them  in  prisoners.  In 
the  aflfray,  Mr.  Samuel  Norcross,  a  respectable,  industrious 
citizen,  was  shot  through  the  thigh,  and  expired  in  about  two 
hours.  Shelden  Durkee  and  Ephraim  Band  were  the  two 
other  citizens. 

The  following  narrative  of  the  death  of  Norcross  is  copied 
from  an  address  delivered  at  Plattsburgh,  September  11th, 
1843,  by  A.  C.  Moore  Esq. 

It  was  on  the  morning  of  the  12th,  that  Shelden  Durkee, 
Ephraim  Rand  and  Samuel  Norcross,  entirely  unarmed, 
met  three  British  soldiers  on  the  retreat,  and  simultaneously 
sprang  upon  them  and  seized  their  guns.  A  most  despe- 
rate personal  recontre  ensued —  a  struggle  for  life.  Band 
and  his  antagonist,  equally  matched  in  point  of  strength, 
strained  every  sinew  for  the  mastery,  which  neither  could 
obtain;  Norcross  sunk  before  the  superior  power  of  his 
adversary,  who  threw  him  on  the  ground  and  poured  the 
blazing  contents  of  his  musket  into  his  body,  then  turned 
from  the  dying  Norcross  and  rushed  upon  the  struggling 
Rand.  At  this  critical  moment,  Durkee,  who  with  a  con- 
vulsive effort  had  wrenched  his  gun  from  the  third  soldier 
and  stretched  him  upon  the  ground,  prostrated  the  antagonist 
of  Rand  with  its  butt,  and  pointing  its  loaded  muzzle  at  the 
other  soldier  compelled  him  to  surrender.  Then  leaving 
Rand  to  bind  up  the  wounds  of  poor  expiring  Norcross,  the 
victorious  Durkee  marched  his  three  prisoners  into  camp. 


'ibi 


hJ    ': 


I    111 


f    I' 


r  i 


i  ! 


252 


LAJCE  CSAMPLAIN. 


Loss  of  the  American  Fleet  on  Lake  Champlain, 
October,  1776. 

The  following  is  General  Arnold's  official  account  of  the 
loss  of  his  fleet  on  the  13th  of  October,  1776.  The  sunken 
wrecks  of  the  vessels  are  yet  to  be  seen  in  Adam's  Bay,  in 
Fan  ton,  nearly  opposite  Barber's  Point. 

Ticonderoga,  October  15, 1776. 
Dear  General :  I  make  no  doubt  before  this  you  have 
received  a  copy  of  my  letter  to  General  Gates  of  the  12th 
instant,  dated  at  Schuyler's  Island,  advising  of  an  action 
between  our  fleet  and  the  enemy  the  preceding  day,  in  which 
we  lost  a  schooner  and  a  gondola.  We  remained  no  longer 
at  Schuyler's  Island  than  to  stop  our  leaks,  and  mend  the 
sails  of  the  "Washington.  At  two  o'clock  P.  M.,  the  12th, 
weighed  anchor  with  a  fresh  breeze  to  the  southward.  The 
enemy's  fleet  at  the  same  time  got  under  way ;  our  gondola 
made  very  little  way  ahead.  In  the  evening  the  wind  mod- 
erated, and  we  made  such  progress  that  at  6  o'clock  next 
morning  we  were  about  off  Willsborough,  twenty-eight  miles 
from  Crown  Point.  The  enemy's  fleet  were  very  little  way 
above  Schuyler's  Island;  the  wind  breezed  up  to  the  south- 
ward, so  that  we  gained  very  little  by  beating  or  rowing,  at 
the  same  time  the  enemy  took  a  fresh  breeze  from  the 
north  east,  and  by  the  time  we  had  reached  Split  Rock  were 
alongside  of  us.  The  Washington  and  Congress  were  in 
the  rear ;  the  rest  of  our  fleet  were  ahead  except  two  gon- 
dolas sunk  at  Schuyler's  Island.  The  Washington  galley 
was  in  such  a  shattered  condition,  and  had  so  many  men 
killed  and  wounded,  she  struck  to  the  enemy  after  receiving 
a  few  broadsides.  We  were  then  attacked  in  the  Congress 
galley  by  a  ship  mounting  twelve  eighteen  pounders,  a 
schooner  f  fourteen  sixes,  and  one  of  twelve  sixes,  two 
under  our  stern,  and  one  on  our  broadside,  within  musket 


f  I. 


ZAEJB  CHAMPLAJN. 


253 


shot.  They  kept  up  an  incessant  fire  on  us  for  about  five 
glasses,  with  ro"nd  and  grape  shot,  which  we  returned  as 
briskly.  TL )  saiis,  rigging  and  hull  of  the  Congress  were 
shattered  and  torn  in  pieces,  the  first  lieutenant  and  three 
men  killed,  when  to  prevent  her  falling  into  the  enemy's 
hands,  who  had  seven  sail  around  me,  I  ran  her  ashore  in  a 
small  creek  ten  miles  from  Crown  Point,  on  the  east  side, 
when,  after  saving  our  small  arms,  I  set  her  on  fire  with 
four  gondolas,  with  whose  crews  I  reached  Crown  Point 
through  the  woods  that  evening,  and  very  luckily  escaped 
the  savages,  who  waylaid  the  road  in  two  hours  after  we 
passed.  At  four  o'clock  yesterday  morning  I  reached  this 
place,  exceedingly  fatigued  and  unwell,  having  been  without 
sleep  or  refreshment  for  near  three  days. 

Of  our  whole  fleet  we  have  saved  only  two  galleys,  two 
small  schooners,  one  gondola,  and  one  sloop.  General  Wa- 
terbury,  with  one  hundred  and  ten  prisoners,  were  returned 
by  Carleton  last  night.  On  board  of  the  Congress  we  had 
twenty  odd  m«;a  killed  and  wounded.  Our  whole  loss  amounts 
to  eighty  odd. 

The  enemy's  fleet  were  last  night  three  miles  below 
Crown  Point ;  their  army  is  doubtless  at  their  heels.  We 
are  busily  employed  in  completing  our  lines  and  redoubts, 
which  I  am  sorry  to  say  are  not  so  forward  as  I  could  wish. 
We  have  very  few  heavy  cannon,  but  are  mounting  every 
piece  we  have.  It  is  the  opinion  of  General  Gates  and  St. 
Clair  that  eight  or  ten  thousand  militia  should  be  immedi- 
ately sent  to  our  assistance,  if  they  can  be  spared  from  below. 
I  am  of  opinion  the  enemy  will  attack  us  with  their 
fleet  and  army  at  the  same  time.  The  former  is  very  formi- 
dable, a  list  of  which  I  am  favored  with  by  General  Water- 
bury,  and  have  enclosed.  The  season  is  so  fur  advanced, 
our  people  are  daily  growing  more  healthy. 


1 

t 


W 


■M 


>, 


tl 


254  LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 

We  have  about  nine  thousand  effectives,  and  if  properly 
supported,  make  no  doubt  of  stopping  the  career  of  the 
enemy.  All  your  letters  to  me  of  late  have  miscarried.  I 
am  extremely  sorry  to  hear  by  General  Gates  you  are  unwell. 
I  have  sent  you  by  General  Waterbury  a  small  box  containing 
all  my  publick  and  private  papers,  and  accounts,  with  a 
considerable  sum  of  hard  and  paper  money,  which  beg  the 
favor  of  your  taking  care  of. 

I  am,  dear  General,  your  most  affectionate,  humble  ser- 
vant, B.  Arnold. 

To  Hon.  Major  General  Schuyler. 

N.  B.  Two  of  the  enemy's  gondolas  sunk  by  our  fleet  the 
first  day,  and  one  blown  up  with  sixty  men. 

Captain  Thomas  Pringle  to  Mr.  Stephens,  Secretary 
of  the  Admiralttf. 

On  hoard  the  Mai  j,  off  Crown  Point,  October  15, 1776. 
It  is  with  the  greatest  pleasure  that  I  embrace  this  oppor- 
tunity of  congratulating  their  lordships  upon  the  victory 
completed  the  13th  of  this  month,  by  his  majesty's  fleet 
under  my  command,  upon  Lake  Champlain. 

Upon  the  11th  I  came  up  with  the  rebel  fleet  commanded 
by  Benedict  Arnold ;  they  were  at  anchor  under  the  Island 
Yalcour,  and  formed  a  strong  line,  extending  from  the  island 
to  the  west  side  of  the  continent.  The  wind  was  so  unfavor- 
able, that,  for  a  considerable  time,  nothing  could  be  brought 
into  action  with  them  but  the  gun-boats.  The  Carleton 
schooner,  commanded  by  Mr.  Dacres,  who  brings  their 
lordships  this,  b/  much  perseverance,  at  last  got  to  their 
assistance ;  but  as  none  of  the  other  vessels  of  the  fleet 
could  then  get  up,  I  did  not  think  it  by  any  means  advisable 
to  continue  so  partial  and  unequal  a  combat ;  consequently 
with  the  approbation  of  his  excellency  general  Carleton, 
who  did  me  the  honor  of  being  on  board  the  Maria,  I  called 


fc    1 


LAKE  OHAMPLAIN. 


255 


off  the  Carleton  and  gun-boats,  and  brought  the  whole  fleet 
to  anchor  in  a  line  as  near  as  possible  to  the  rebels,  that 
their  retreat  might  be  cut  off,  which  purpose  was,  however, 
frustrated  by  the  extreme  obscurity  of  the  night ;  and  in 
the  morning  the  rebels  had  got  a  considerable  distance  from 
us  up  the  lake. 

Upon  the  13th  I  again  saw  eleven  sail  of  their  fleet  making 
off  to  Crown  Point,  who,  after  a  chase  of  seven  hours,  I 
came  up  with  in  the  Maria,  having  the  Carleton  and  Inflexi- 
ble a  small  distance  astern ;  the  rest  of  the  fleet  almost  out  of 
sight.  The  action  began  at  twelve  o'clock,  and  lasted  two 
hours,  at  which  time  Arnold,  in  the  Congress  galley  and  five 
gondolas,  ran  on  shore,  and  were  directly  abandoned  and 
blown  up  by  the  enemy,  a'  circumstance  they  were  greatly 
favored  in  by  the  wind  being  off  shore,  and  the  narrowness 
of  the  lake.  The  Washington  galley  struck  during  the 
action,  and  the  rest  made  their  escape  to  Ticonderoga. 

The  killed  and  wounded  in  his  majesty's  fleet,  including 
the  artillery  in  the  gun-boats,  do  not  amount  to  forty ;  but 
from  every  information  I  have  yet  got,  the  loss  of  the  enemy 
must  indeed  be  very  considerable. 


THE  END. 


« 


iiiHi 


\, 


J^ 


INDEX. 


ABENAQUIS,  51,  65,  135. 
Also  Abeimkis. 
Abcrcrombic,  Maj.  Gen.,  83, 84. 
advances    against  Ticon- 

doroga,  76. 
succeeds  Loudon  to   the 
chief  command  in  Ame- 
rica, 72. 
retreat  of,  79. 
Adam's  Bay,  353. 
Adams,  John,  163. 
Addison,  56,  91. 
Adirondack  Mountains,  10, 11. 
Adour  River,  210. 
Adriance,  Albert,  163. 
Aganuschioni,  16.     Sec    Five 

Nations. 
Aikin,  Capt.  Abram,  160,  350. 

Martin  J.,  223. 
Alainville,  56. 

Albany,  26,  33,  35,  36,  39,  43, 
43,   46,  47,  48,  73,  79, 
108,135,136,153,160. 
alann  guns  fired ;  send  to 
Esopus   for   assistance, 
37. 
authorities  issue  orders  of 
retaliation,  38. 
Alburgh  Tongue,  8. 
Alexandria,  Va.,  61. 

English  meet  in  conference 
at,  60. 
Algonquins,  17,  33,  51, 135. 
engaged  in  .war  with  the 

Mohawks,  18. 
defeat  the  Iroquois,  30,  81. 
Alison,  Mr.,  190. 
Allen,    Capt.    Ebenezer,    149, 
152, 195, 196. 
biograplucal  sketch  of, 

157. 
takes  the  works  on  Mt. 
Defiance,  150. 
Col.  Ethan,  97,  100,  106, 
108. 


Allen,  Col.  Ethan,  addresses 
his  men,  103. 
commands  an    expedi- 
tion against  Ticonde- 
roga,  102. 
dispute  with   Benedict 

Arnold,  101,  103. 
taken  prisoner  at  Mont- 
real, 111. 
takes  the  post  of  Ticon- 
derotta,  104. 
Frederic  P.,  223. 
Ira,  157. 
.Tabez,  163. 
John,  173. 
Jonas,  170. 
Thomas,  164. 
Americans  build  anned  vessels 
on  Lake  Champlain,  118. 
defeated  at   Hubbardton, 

143. 
defeated    at    Split   Rock, 
130. 
Amherst,  Maj.  Gen.,  3,  81,  90, 
94. 
builds   a    fort   at  Crown 

Point,  88. 
embarks  with  his  wliole 

anny  for  Canada,  88. 
marches    against    Ticon- 
deroga     and    Crown 
Point,  84,  87. 
plans  an  expedition  against 
the  St.  Francis  Indians, 
89. 
takes  Louisburg,  83. 
takes  Montreal,  90. 
Anderson,    Capt.    Alexander, 
240,  245,  248. 
killed,  233. 
Andrews,  Titus,  170. 
Anne,  Queen,  45. 
Appendix,  341. 

Appling,  Lieut.  Colonel,  219, 
221. 


k 


f' 


258 


INDEX. 


Armstrong,  Gen.,  184, 195, 
plans  a  descent  upon  King- 
ston, 194. 
Arnold,  Capt.,  123. 

Gen.  Benedict,  4,  91,  92, 

100, 112, 123, 124, 125, 

127,131,138,252,254, 

255. 

acts  as  Allen's  assistant, 

102. 
attacked  by  Indians,  122. 
commands     expedition 
against  St.  Johns,  105. 
cruises  on  the  lake,  121. 
dispute  with  Ethan  Al- 
len, 101, 103. 
wounded  at  Quebec,  118. 
Arundacks,  51. 
Ash  Island,  10, 188. 
Ashburton  treaty,  9. 
Ashline,  Prisque,  162. 
Atwood,  Capt.,  220. 
Aubrey,  Capt.,  151. 
Ausable  River,  162. 
Averlll,  Henry  K.,  222. 
Nathan,  170. 


BABCOCK,  Capt.  F.,  185. 
Backus,  Charles,  224. 
Baie  du  Rocher  Fendus,  4. 
Bailey,    Col.   John,  174,  241, 
247. 
Judge  William,  174,  177. 
Baker,  Capt.    Remember,  97, 

104. 
Bald  Peak,  12. 

Baldwin,  James  M.,  240,  245, 
248. 
killed,  234. 
Banker,  Capt.  John  Jr.,  smug- 

fles  on  Lake  Champlain, 
86,  187. 

Barber's  Point,  252. 

Bardans,  John,  97. 

Barker,  Captain,  makes  a  de- 
scent on  Derby,  198. 

Barron,  Joseph,  240,  245,  246. 
248. 

Barton,  Lewis,  163. 

Basin  Harbor,  187. 


Bateman,  Smith,  222. 
Bathurst,  Earl,  237,  238. 
Baum,  Col.,  defeated  at  Ben- 
nington, 151. 
Baynes,  Adj.  Gen.,  207. 
Beam,  M.,  70. 
Bcauharnois,  M.  dc,  builds  a 

fort  at  Crown  Point,  49. 
Beaujeu,  M.  de,  56. 
Beaumont,  Widow,  224. 
Beau-Sejour,  61. 
Beauvis,  Sieur  de,  53. 
Beckwith,  G.  M.,  241. 
Bedon,  Sieur,  56. 
Beekmantown,  160,  219,  222, 
239,  246. 
battle  of,  220. 

Corners,  220. 

Road,  243,  245. 
Beeman,  Abraham,  170. 
Bellamy,  E.,  186. 
Beman,  Nathan,  103, 175. 
Bemis'a  Heights,  101. 
Benedict,  N'ehemiab,  163. 

Thomas,  163. 
Bennington,  69,  95, 151. 
Benson,  Judge,  170. 

Egbert,  176. 

Lieut.,  wounded,  239. 
Berrien,  John,  163. 
Berrv,  M.,  76. 
Berthier,  Sieur  de,  30. 
Big  Chazy  River,  7,  8,  56, 172, 

175,  194. 
Billings,  Andrew,  163. 
Bird,  Gustavus,  222. 
Bissell,  Brig.  Gen.,  204,  205, 

207,  310. 
Black  Mountains,  11. 
Blainville,  Sieur  de,  36. 
Bloody  Island,  murder  com- 
mitted at,  10. 
Bloomfield,  Gen.,  ordered  to 

the    Champlain   frontier, 

183. 
Boilan,  Pierre,  161. 
Bonavista,  14. 
Bonrepos,  Sieur  de,  36. 
Boston,    32,   35,  47,  99,  100, 

192. 
Bougainville,   M.  de,  retreats 

from  Isle  aux  Noix,  89. 


INDEX. 


259 


t  Ben- 


lilcls  a 
t,49. 


9,  223, 


75. 
63. 

139. 

56, 172, 

M,  205, 

;r  corn- 
ered to 
frontier, 

99,  100, 

retreats 
x,89. 


Boucourt,    M.  de,   entrusted 

with  tlie  duty  cf  resisting 

the    debarkation    of  the 

English  troops,  47, 48. 
Bouquet  River,  2, 6, 54, 92, 121, 

125,  129,  1.36,    152,    100, 

207. 
Bourlemaque,  M.  de,  70,  87. 

retreats  to  Crown  Point, 
84. 
Boynton,  Elijah,  186. 

Jolin,  186. 
Braddock,     Major    General, 

commands  an  expedition 

against  French  fort  on  the 

Oliio,  60. 
Bradstreet,  Lieut.  Col,  76. 
Brand,  Henry  W.,  house  and 

farm  pillaged,  193. 
Brest,  56. 

Bridport,  56, 91, 102. 
Brisbane,  Major  General,  211, 

214. 
Brohier,  Lieut   0.,  wounded, 

289. 
Brooks,  Bartemus,  222. 

Captain  Alexander,  212, 
235,  237. 

Mr.,  249. 
Brosse,  Sieur  de  la,  ?\ 
Brown,  Capt.,  101, 105,  112. 

Col.,  149, 150. 

Maj.,  108,  110. 
Brum,  Mr.,  234. 
Buck,  Bostwick,  192. 
Budd,  Lieut.  Charles,  225. 
Bulwagga  Mountain,  11. 
Burgoync,  Gen.,  6,  8, 09,  101, 
117,  135,  145,  146,  148, 
149,  151. 

assigned  to  the  command 
of  the  ai'my  iu  Canada, 
134.  ^ 

invades  the  United  States, 
135. 

surrender  of,  152. 
Burlmgton,  5,  6,  10, 158,  179, 
184,  185,  187,  191,  194, 
197, 198, 206,  207,  222. 

bell  of  St.  Regis  secreted 
in  sands  of,  45. 
Burr,  Capt.  Aaron,  118. 


CAPFINIERE.  DE.  S3. 
Calliers,    Clievalier    i'.o, 
visits  France,  32. 
his  project  to  invade  New 

York,  82,  38. 
sends  instructions  toCount 
de  Fnmtcnac,  33. 
Cambridge,  69,  99. 
Camel's  Hump,  12. 
Cameron,  John,  97. 
Campbell,  Capt.  Laughlin,  59. 
arrives     from     Scotland 
with  emigrants,  58. 
Canada,  1,3,4,  8,9,  15,18,  22, 
26,  31,33,38,  49,51,  52, 
53,  54,  56,  58,  61,  63,  67, 
08,81,83,89,93,05,106, 
114, 115,  117,  134,  149, 
152, 162,  173,  174,  178, 
183, 187,  189,  195,  209, 
210,211,214,237. 
condition  of,  35. 
cost   of  the    expeditions 

against,  48. 
eartiiquake  in,  5. 
first  named  by  the  Span- 
iards, 10. 
formally  ceded  to    Great 

Britian,l)0. 
invasion  of,  107, 108,  109. 
Maj.  Schuyler's  expedition 

against,  43. 
preparations    to    invade ; 
project   abandoned,  39. 
retreat   of  the  army  of, 

114. 
two    expeditions  against, 
45,  40,  47. 
Canadians,  79. 

become  intimidated,  65. 
8(!iitiments  of,  106. 
surprised  and  defeated  by 
McGinnes,  66. 
Canaghsionie,  40.See  Wftitehall. 
Caniaderi  -  guarunte,  Indian 
name  for  Lake  Champlain, 
12. 
Cap  Scounonton  or  Scononton, 

7. 
Cape  Breton,  48. 
Island,  72. 
Diamond,  112. 


~S£:i;^gggggg^, 


>J 


260 


INDEX. 


\ 


tit 


iilr 


Carleton,  Gen.  Guy,  9,  03,  106, 

107,  117, 125, 130, 130, 

182,  133,134,2.")3,  255. 

atteinptM    tu    raise   the 

siege  of  St.  Jolins,  111. 

poliey  toward  prisoners, 

131. 
prepares   to   repel   tlie 
invaders    from  Cana- 
da, 108. 
Island,  154. 

Maj.,  surprises  Fort  George 
and  Fort  Ann,  153. 
Carter,  Capt.  Rogers  (sailing 
master),   143,  240,  340, 
248. 
killed,  234. 
Carthagena,  59. 
Curlier,  Jac(iues,  his  explora- 
tions, 14, 15. 
Cassin,  Lieut.  4,  198, 199,  207, 

325. 
Castile,  47. 
Castleton,  101,  104,  142,  146, 

148. 
Caughnaw.'iga,  202. 
Indiaiw,  93, 176. 
Cayugas,  Iti 
Chamberlin,  Abel,  250. 
(Jhambly,  18,  24,  40,  41,  105, 
110,114,155,208. 
attacked  and  ravaged  by 
the  Iroquois,  34. 
River,  9,  53. 
Sieur  de,  24,  30. 
Champlain,  Samuel  de,  15, 171. 
expedition  against  the  3Io- 

hawks,  18. 
his  dream,  19. 
returns  to  Quebec  and  ap- 
appointcd  governor  of 
Canada,  22. 
village  of,  309. 
Chandler,  Brig.  Gen.,  184. 
Chapelain,   saves  his  life  by 
speaking    in    the    Gaelic 
tongue,  58. 
Chapman,  Ensign  John,  220, 
244,  248. 
killed,  239. 
Charlotte,  5. 
Charter,  John,  159. 


Chasy,  Sieur  de,  7,  27. 

killed  by  Indians,  28. 
River,  7.   See  Clxny  Iticer. 
Chateaugay,  171, 175,  177,  195, 
203. 
Four  Corners,  195, 198. 
Lake,  175. 
River,  195. 
Chazy,  53,  93,  161,  183,  207, 
208,  209,  210,  212,  214, 
239. 
Landing,  193. 
River,  5'<i. 
Cheeseman,   Capt.,   killed    at 

Quebec,  113. 
Cheonderoga,   3.    See    I^on- 

devoga. 
Chimney  Point,  132. 

origin  of  its  name,  8. 
Chin,  Tlie,  12. 
Chipman,  Mr.,  91. 
Chittenden,  Gov.,  172,  219, 238. 
disputes  with  the  Vermont 
volunteers,  199. 
Clark,  Col.  Isaac,  195, 197,208, 
204,  207. 
at  Missisco  Bay,  196. 
Clarke,  F..  186. 

Clinton,   Gov.    George  (Brig. 
Gen.),  52,  58,  153,160,105, 
166,  168,  170,  171,  210. 
Cloutier,  Charles,  161. 
Cochran,  John  Jr.,  170. 

Robert,  162, 169. 
Colchester  Point,  158. 
Cole,  Lieut.  Col,  05. 
Collins,  John,  158. 
Conklin,  Benjamin,  163. 
Connecticut,  35,  39,45,  79, 101, 
103. 
River,  49,  89,00,05. 
Contrecour,  Sieur  Jr.,  53,  54. 
Corbeau  River,  162. 
Corlear,  6, 13,  26. 
drowned,  31. 
Couch,  S.,  241. 

Courcelles,  M.  de,  24,  25, 37, 
30,  31. 
drawn   into    an    ambus- 
cade,  36. 
.  invades   the    Mohawk 
country,  26. 


I 


INDEX. 


261 


Crab  Island,  0,  223,  225,  226, 

237,  220,  240. 
Craig,  Sir  James,  l.U. 
Sir  Joliii,  180. 
Ht'iuls  Henry  on  a  mis- 
sion to  New  England, 
170. 
Creswiclt,  Lieut.,  206. 
Cross,  Henry,  02. 
Crosse,  Capt.  T.,  wounded,  230. 
Crown  Pr)int,  3,  4,  10,  11,  10, 
21,  38,  42,  40,  52,  53,  50, 
57,  50,  00,  01,  03,  00,  07, 
08,  72,  80,  00,  02,  03,  08, 
105,  106,  107,  108,   115, 
110,  118,  121,  123,  125, 
120,  130,  133,  130,  150, 
101,170,171,252,253. 
Amherst    commences     u 

fort  at,  88. 
destroyed  by  the  French, 

87. 
reduction  of,  104. 
works  at  destroyed,  132. 
Culver's  Hill,  243,*344. 

battle  of,  220. 
Cumberland  Bay,  7,208. 

Head,  7,  123. 125. 135, 164, 
103,  104,  208,  210,  211, 
227,  230,  235. 

DACRES,  Lieut.,  124. 
Mr.,  254. 
D'Ailleboust,  M.,  23. 
Danbury,  101. 
Dartmouth,  Lord,  12. 
Davis,  Brig.  Gen.,  200,  201. 

Capt.,  130. 
Dead  Creek,  208,  210,  221. 
Dean,  101. 
Dearborn,  Maj.  Gen.,  183. 

his  morning  visit  in  Cana- 
da, 184. 
Deerfield,  destroyed  by  French 

and  Indians,  45. 
Deforris,  T.,  241. 
Delawares,  16. 
Dellius,  Godfrey,  57. 
Delord,  Judge,  192,  247. 
Denonville,  M.  de,  is  compelled 

to  conclude    treaty  with 

the  Iroquois,  34. 


Derby,  store  houses  and  bar- 
racks   destroyed    by   the 
English,  108. 
Detroit,  surrender  «)f,  185. 
De'Waim,  Capt.,  42. 
Diamond  Island,  151. 
Dickson,  Capt.,  121. 

iMoses,  162. 
Dieskau,  Haron  dc,  07. 

advances  to  tlie    defense 

of  Crown  Point,  03. 

arrives    at    Quebec   with 

troops  from  France,  (53. 

found  thrice  wounded  and 

helpless  leaning  against 

a  tree,  (W. 

lands    on    the    shores   of 

South  Bay  and  attacks 

Engli-sh  ciicaiupment,  2. 

Dixon,  Lieut.  Col.  Luther,  200, 

211. 
Dix's  Peak,  12. 
Dongan,  Gov.,  32. 
Doolittle,  Col.  Ephraim,  91. 
Douglass,  sent  to  Bridport  for 
a  scow,  102. 
Bav,  6. 
Douville,  Sieur,  54. 
Downie,   Capt.    George,  225, 
226,  227,  228,  234,  240, 
248. 
killed,  233. 
Dresden,  2,  21. 
Dumbarton,  67. 
Duncan,  Mr.  Silas,  223. 

wounded,  221. 
Dunlap,  Mr.,  166. 
Du  Quesne,  61. 
Durkee,  Sheldon,  251. 
Dutch,  16. 
Dutchess,  165. 

EAST  Bay,  2. 
Creek,  137, 140, 141. 
Edward,  Duke  of  York,  62, 
Elizabethtown,  103,  .  71. 
Elmore,  John,  162. 

Lot,  162. 
Emmons,  Prof,  5, 10. 
England,  32,  67. 
English,  advance  against  Fort 

Carillon,  75. 


262 


INDEX. 


\  i 


English,  attack  the  works  near 

Otter  Creek,  207. 
build    anneil    vessels  on 

Lake    Cliampiuin,    117. 
capture  tlie  Growler  and 

Eagle,  100. 
claim  tlie  territory  on  both 

sides  tlio  lake,  50. 
complete  their  defenses  at 

Fort   William    Henry, 

67. 
considered  a    weak    and 

cowardly  people  by  the 

Five  Nations,  48. 
defeat  the  French  at  Lake 

George,  66. 
defeated    at   Plattsburgh, 

286. 
defeated  in  a  naval  cn- 

gfvgement     off    Platts- 
urgh,  230. 
destroy  barracks  and  store 

houses  at  Derby,  198. 
fleet,  scattered  and  wreck- 
ed, 48. 
jealous  of  their  rulers,  61. 
make   a   descent    upon 

Plattsburgh,  100. 
meet  in  conference  at  Al- 
exandria, Va.,  60. 
occupy  Crown  Point,  182. 
plan  of  the  campaign  of 

1776,  117. 
return  to  Canada,  133. 
scouting  parties,  70,  80. 
send    remforccmenta    to 
Fort  Edward,  64 
Erkly's  Point,  6. 
Esopus,  37. 
Essex,  5,6, 159,  219. 
Everest,  Ethan,  222. 

Zadoc,  91. 
Everett,  Edward,  163, 170. 

FAIRCHILD,  Aaron,  160. 
Fenwick,Col.,210. 
Fermoy,  Gen.  de,  148. 
Ferris,  A.,  186. 
Jacob,  164, 102. 
Peter,  91. 
Ferrisburgh,  150. 
Fessie,  John,  161. 


Finch,  Capt.,  surprises  an  ad- 
vance guard  of  cavalry, 
106. 
Fisher,  Ephraim,  150. 

William,  150. 
Fitch,  Dr.,  21,  47. 
Five  Nations,  16,83,38,44,  46, 

48,  50,  57. 
Flagg,  Azariah  C,  322. 
Floyd,  William,  103. 
Forbes,  Gen.,  takes  Fort  du 

Quesne,  83. 
Forsytlt,  Lt.  Col,  shot  by  an 
Indian,  200. 
MaJ.,  203,  204. 
Fort  Albany,  36. 
Ann,  46,  62, 149. 
surprised  byM^.  Carle- 
ton,  158. 
Blunder,  why  so  termed, 

0. 
Brown,  216,223,324,237. 
CarUlon,  3,  67,  60,  72. 
abandoned  and  blown  up 
by  Bourlemaque,  84 
description  of,  75. 
plan  of,  85. 
Chambly,  49. 

surprise  of,  110. 
du  Quesne,  capitulates  to 
Gen.  Forbes,  83. 
proposed  expedition 
against,  73. 
Dummer,  49. 
Edward,  46,  63,  64,  66,  69, 
70,  71,  80, 142,  144, 146, 
149, 151, 154, 161. 
Erie,  247. 
Gaines,  240. 

George,  71,  133,  145, 148, 
101. 
surprised  by  Maj.  Carle- 
ton,  153. 
Laprairie,  40,49. 
surprised  and  taken  by 
Maj.  Schuyler,  43. 
Montgomery,  9. 
Moreau,  216,  340. 
Miller,  161. 
Niagara,  185. 
Nicholson,  46. 
Orange,  33.  S 


INDSX. 


263 


146; 


Fort  Orange,  intended  attack 
on,  80. 
Richelieu,  24. 

dcmolislied,  10. 
St.  Anno,  7,  24,  27,  29,  84, 

41,  40. 
St.    Frederic,  8,  4,  8,  49, 
52,  53,  56,  68,  87. 
description  of,  50. 
destroyed  bytlic  French, 

3,87. 
seat  of  tlie  Frencli  pow- 
er in  1059,  51. 
St.  Johns,  56, 112. 
gathering  of  Indiana  at, 
00. 
St.  Louis,  10,  24. 
St.  Theresa,  34. 
Saratoga,  40. 
Scott,  210. 
Stanwix,  lUO,  151. 
Tompltinfl,  840. 
Ticonderoga,  3. 
William    Henry,  66,    67, 
00,  70,  72. 
attached  by  French  and 

Indians,  68. 
massacre  at,  71. 
plan  of,  73. 
Fouquet's  Hotel,  243,  246. 
Four  Brothers,  6,  208. 
Four  Winds  Islands,  6. 
Fowler,  Col.,  liillcd,  144. 
France,  14, 15,  22,  33,  52,  69. 
Francis,  Col.,  142. 

killed  144. 
Fraser,  Brig.  Gen.,  117,  134, 
130. 
pursues     the     retreating 
Americans,  143. 
Predenburgh,  Charles  de,  94, 
163. 
Falls,  195. 
French,  9, 31, 42,  43,  60, 65,  70. 
attacked  at  Chambly,  38. 
build  forts  on  the  shores 

of  Lake  Champlain,  3. 
build  a  fort  at  Crown  Point 

49. 
build  forts  in  the  wilder- 
ness, 61. 
burn  Deerfleld,  45. 


French,  compelled  to  cat  their 

slioes,  44. 

defeat  th«'  English  under 

Col.  WilliuniB  at  Lake 

George,  64. 

defeated  by  the  English, 

66. 
destroy  Fort  St.  Fred- 
eric,  and    retreat   to 
Isle  aux  Noix,  87. 
driven  to  the  shelter  of 

Valcour  Island,  88. 
grants  on  t  lie  lake,  52-56. 
fortify  Ticonderoga,  67. 
join  the  Algonfiuins  and 
Ilurons  in  an  expedi- 
tion against  the  Iro- 
quois, 18-21. 
release    tlioir    nominal 
sovereignty  over  the 
Ir()(|iioiH,  48. 
repulsed  by  Capt.  John 

Stark,  m. 
under    Vaudreuil    and 
Chevalier    Longueuil 
attack  Fort  William 
Henry,  68. 
Mills,  107,  202. 
Friswell,  Lieut.,  92. 
Frombois,  John  la,  93. 
Frontenac,  Count  de,  33, 36, 38. 
marches  against  the  Mo- 
hawks, 43. 
marches  to  Quebec  to  repel 

the  English  40. 
or^nizes  an  expedition  to 
mvade  New  York,  35. 
Prontfreyde,  coroner,  170. 

GALISSONNIERE,  M.  de 
la,  52. 
Gamble,  Lieut.  Peter,  233, 234, 
240,  245,  248. 
killed,  228. 
Garonne  River,  210. 
Gates,  Maj.  Gen.,  118, 122, 124, 
125,131,133,138,146,151, 
152,  160,  252,  253,  254. 
Gauchetiere,  Sieur  la,  53,  57. 
Georgia,  54. 

Germain,  Lord  George,  148. 
Germans,  47. 


264 


r<DEX. 


Ghent,  treaty  of,  24!>. 
Giiniand,  William,  92, 150. 
Gilman,  R.  A.,  341,  343. 
Glen,  Capt.  Sanders,  43. 
Glen  s  Falls,  03. 
Goldsmith,  Mr.,  224, 
Goodspeed,  Mr.,  330. 
Gordon,  Alexander,  158. 
Graham,  Col,  79. 
Grand  Isle,  7,  125,  154,  157, 

807. 
Grant,  Capt.,  127. 
Graves,  Mr.,  wotinded,  189. 
Gray,  William,  177. 
Great  au  Sahle  River,  3,  0. 
Great  Krilain,  49,  57,  90, 180, 
183. 

uifHoulties  with  the  United 
States,  178. 

United  States  declare  war 
aj^ainst,  183. 
Great  Carryinj?  Place,  rendez- 
vous tor  Gen.  Johnson's 

army,  (J2. 
Green,  Lieut.,  wounded,  205. 

Mountains,  10. 
Greenbush.  184. 
Griffin,  Jcmathan,  334. 
Groton,»l, 
Grovenor,  Capt.,  335. 
Gulfc/t'St.  Lawrence,  14. 
Gunn,  William,  340,  345,  248. 

killed,  3;W. 
Guyenne,  Mr.,  70. 

HALE,  Col.,  flees  toward 
Castleton,  14iJ. 

surrenders  without  firing 
a  ffun,  144. 
Ilaile,    Jud«e    Wm.    F.,  341, 

244,  245. 
Haldimand,  Sir  Frederic,  154. 
Half  Moon,  42. 
Hall,  Enoch,  157. 
Hiil.Hey,  13rig.  Gen.,  241,  242, 

24:{. 
Halsey's    Covners,    battle  of. 

320. 
Halsted",  Piatt  R.,  245. 
Hamilton,  Alexander,  105. 

Brig.  Gen.,  134. 

Lieut.,  335. 


Hampton,  Maj.  Gen.,  191, 195, 

199,  300,  303. 

moves  against  the  British 

jiosts  on  the  Richelieu, 

194. 

repairs    to    Washingt.!!!, 

197. 
withdrawn  from  the  fron- 
tier, 303. 
Hancock,  Maj.,  303. 
Hand,  Hon.  A.  C,  103. 
Hartwick,  John  B.,  104, 170. 
Hartly,  Lieut.  Col.,  123. 
Haswell,  Lieut.,  179. 
Hathaway,  Shadrack,  159. 
Havana,  94. 
Haverhill,  reduced   to   ashes, 

45. 
Haviland,  Col.,  joins  Amherst 
and  Murray  in  tlic  siege 
of  Montreal,  90. 
marches    against    the 
French  at  Isle  aux  Noix, 
89. 
Hawley,  Gideon,  159. 
Hay,  William,  93. 

thrown  into  prison  by  Gen. 
Carlcton,  and  again  ar- 
rested by  order  of  Gen. 
Sullivan,  93. 
Henderson,  James,  97. 
Hendrik,    Mohawk    sachem, 
mortally  wounded,  04. 
speech  of,  00,  01. 
Ilenly,  Capt.,  335. 
Henry,  .John,  180. 

sent  on  a  mission  to  New 
England,  179. 
Hcrrick,  Capt.,  104,  105,  189, 
190. 
sent     against     Skenesbo- 
rough,  102. 
Hicks,  Lient.,  220,  339. 
HigJJgate,  5;{. 
Highlanders,  59. 
Hill,   Brig.    Gen.,   commands 
naval  expedition   against 
Quebec,  47. 
Hinckley,  N.,  180. 
Hochelaga,  14,  15.    See  Mont- 

rml. 
Hoiiiuart,  H.  de,  40,  50. 


INDEX.  265 


Hoit,  Gates,  175. 
Iloffnnrric,  John,  160. 

Melchor,  100. 
Holmes,  Lieut.,  wounded,  239. 
Horicon  River,  73. 
Hospital  Island,  10. 
Hout  Kil,  2. 

Howe,  Gen.,  sent  against  New 
York,  117. 

Irn,  220. 

Lord,  08. 
killed,  70. 

sent  against  New  York, 
117. 
Hiibbardton,  battle  of,  143. 
Hudson,  Henry,  22 

River,  31,  ■!J2, 40, 58,  62,63, 
1)5,  »8,  135,  161. 
Hull,  Gen.,  183. 

surrenders  Detroit,  185. 
Hurlbut,  E.,  180. 
Hurous,  17,  23,  51. 

defeat  the  Iroquois,  20,  21. 
Hyde,  Ebenezer,  157. 

Joshua,  07. 

INDIANS,  2,  3,  6, 10,  24,  38, 
42,  43,  52. 

attack  the  Americans  at 
St.  Johns,  109. 

burn  one  of  their  killed,  41. 

character  of,  10. 

commit   depredations  on 
the  fontier,  45. 

mnssaero  the    English  at 
Fort  William  Henry,  71. 

refuse  to  adv!inc(!  against 
Fort  Edward,  03. 

refuse  to  tight,  05. 

superstitions  of,  19. 

surprised  and  defeated  by 
McGinnes,  06. 

take     Putnam    prisoner, 
81. 
Ingold.sby,  Col.,  47, 
Iroquois,  9,  12,  10,  17, 19,  20, 
23,  33,  48,  05,  135. 

attack  and  devastate  Mont- 
real, 34. 

attack  Chambly,  34. 

Champlain's   dVeam  con- 
cerning, 10. 

84 


Iro([Uoi8  defeated  bv  the  Al- 
goncpiins  and  Hurons, 
20,  21. 
dictate  terms  of  peace  to 

the  French,  34. 
incursions  of,  23. 
Iroscosia,  12. 
Isla,  58. 
Isleaux  Capons,  0. 

aux  Noix,  10,  84. 108, 109, 
114,115,  117,135,188, 
190,204,205,208,209, 
210. 
a  fort  at,  203. 
French  retreat  to,  87. 
taken  by  the  English,  89. 
aux  IVtes,  10, 122,  188,209. 
de  Quatre-vents,  0, 
la  .^lotle,  7,  8,  .53, 108,  114, 
122,  157,   173.  215,  225, 
Longiie,  7.  54. 
Izard,  Maj.  Gen.,  197,  208,  212, 
214. 
ordered  to  the  west,  211. 

JACKSON,  Charles,  240, 245, 

killed,  233. 
Jacob,  ('apt'\in,  ordered  to  pro- 
ceed to  t'rown  Point,  38. 
Jamaica,  101. 
.lav,  171,  .-20. 
Joilerson,  Mr.,  109. 

prochtmation  of,  178. 
Jessup,  ^lajur,  1.54. 
Joiinscm,  Col.  (Juy,  .52,  107. 
Sir    Jolm,     'builds    Fort 
Wililam  Henry,  00. 
maki'M  a   descent  upon 
Johnstown,  153. 
Sir    William,    commands 
an  expedition  against 
Crown  Point,  00. 
ludts  at  Lake  (George,  02. 
is  appointed  a  baronet, 

00. 
receives  a  i^ainful  wound 

in  tlietl)ig|i,  00. 
sends  Lt.  Col.  Cole  with 
relnlbrcements  to  the 
aid  01  Col.  Williams, 
65. 


i 


h 


I 


266 


IXDEX. 


Johnstown,  attacked,  153. 
Jones,  li.,  1«0. 

Juniper    Island,   light   house 
cr'jcted  on,  0. 


KAH-CnO-QUAH-NA,   3. 
See  Whikhall. 
Kalm,:J,  7. 
Kanondora,  40. 
Kaskebe,  capture  of,  35. 
Kayaderosseras  range,  11. 
Kennebec  River,  107. 
Kent,  Chancellor,  1«5. 
Kerr,  Lieut.,  wounded,  205. 
Ketchum,  Benj.,  241. 
Keyes,  Stephen,  158. 
KilUngton  Peak,  12. 
King,  Gideon,  186. 
King's  Bay,  7,  8,  198,  2D9. 
Kingsbury,  Lieutenant  R.,221, 
248. 
severely  wounded,  239. 
Kingston,  194, 195. 


L'ACADIE,  209. 
Lachine  Rapids,  15. 
La  Colle,  203, 209. 

mill,    battle   of,  204,   205. 
River,  184,  204,  205. 
La  Fayette,  M.  do,  152, 153. 
Lafrancc,  Jocco,  177. 
LaFronibois,  John,  99,  101. 
Lake  Champlain,  general  de- 
scription of,  and  of  the 
most  important  points 
along  its   borders — an- 
cient and  modern  names 
of    places  —   distances 
—  old  forts  —  scenery  — 
original    Indian    name, 
1-13. 
condition  of  the  country 

about,  49-56. 
naval  operations  on,  88, 

89. 
progress  of  the  settle- 
ment of  the  country 
bordering  on,  prior 
to  the  revolution,  90, 
98. 


Lake  Champlain,  progress  and 
extent  of  settlements 
on     the    borders    of, 
anterior    to     the    re- 
volution—  personal 
skct  chi  's  —  t  rade   and 
commerce  of  the  coun- 
try —  population,  &c., 
&c.,  156-177. 
British  and    American 
naval  force    on,  187, 
188. 
operations  on,  198. 
Corlear,  13. 

George,  2,  3,21,    31,  47, 
48,  56,  62,  63,  70,  72, 
75,7!),  88, 118, 132, 137, 
138,  139, 147,  148, 149, 
159,161,211.  212. 
biittle  of,  64,  65,  66. 
Memphremagog,  9(i,  186. 
Ontario,  17,  63,  179,  201, 
St.  Sacrament,  4. 
Lamoile  River,  2,  7. 
La  Monte,  Josej)h,  94. 
Laucy,  Lt.  Gov.  de,  62. 
Lane'  Samuel,  158. 
Languedoc,  M.,  76. 
Lansing,  Judge,  168. 
Laprairie,  attacked  by  the  En- 
glish, 41. 
gala  day  at,  40. 
Larabee,  Lieut.,  206. 
wounded,  205. 
Point,  102. 
La  Riviere  aux  Loutres,  4. 
Lasambert,  Antoine,  161. 
Laurence,  attacks  and  defeats 
stragglers,  38. 
pursues  the  French,  37. 
Lavan,  Antoine,  161. 
Lawrence,  Jonathan,  163. 

Stephen,  158. 
Lee,  Cai)t.,127. 

Midshipman,  2&1. 
wounded,  233. 
Leisler,  Lieut.  Gov.,  ?'^uds  let- 
ters for  protectior    to  the 
ditferen,  provinces,  38. 
Leonard,    Captain,    212,   219, 

220. 
Letournan,  Joseph,  161. 


!■ 


INDEX. 


267 


<- 


;. 


ii 


Levy,  M.  do,  holds  the  road  to 
Fort  Edwiird,  70. 

reinforceH  Montcalm,  70. 
Lewis,    Adjutant,    Avounded, 
230. 

Eli,  250. 
Lexington,  09,  90. 
L'llommedieu,  P>,ra,  103. 
Lincoln,  Gen.,   leads  e.xpedi- 

tion  against  Ticonderoga, 

140. 
Lion  Couchant,  12.    See  Cam- 

fVs  Hump. 
Lislion,  47,171. 
Little  au  Sable  River,  0. 

Chazy  River,  7. 

Stone  Fort,  42,  49. 
Livingston,  105. 

Capt.,  112. 

Major,  110. 
Lizotte,  Lewis,  170. 
Lock,  Col.,  retreat  of,  196. 
Logan's  Point,  191. 
London,  72. 
Londonderrv,  08. 
Long,  Col.,  "141,  142. 
Long    Island,    99,    107,    109, 
170. 

Point,  08. 
Longcraft,  Lieut.,  124. 
Longueuil,  Chevalier,  08,  111. 
Loomis,  Mr.,  188. 
Loraine,  108. 
Lord,  Lieut.,  150. 
Loring,  Capt.,  naval  operations 

oh  Lake  Champlain,  88. 
Lossing,  Mr.,  his  account  of 

Amherst's  movements,  88. 
Lotbinl^re,    Michael  Chartier 

de,  50. 
Louisburg,  capitulates  to  Gen. 
Amherst,  83. 

proposeu      expedition 
against,  72. 
Luges,  j^ieur  de,  drowned,  31. 
Lutw'idgc,  Capt.,  135. 
Lyman,    Maj.    Gen.  Phineas, 
03,  00. 

arrives    at    the  Carrying 
Place    and  erects   Fort 
Edward,  02. 
Lynde,  Jonathan,  100, 170. 


McAULEY  William,  109. 
McBean,  Angus,  97. 
McCrcedy,  Charles,  l(i4. 
MacDonough,  Lieut.  Thomas, 
4.  7,  189,  190,  198,  207, 
208,  209,  221,  225,  234, 
235,  237,  249. 
attacks  the  English  fleet, 

188. 
takes  charge  of  the  naval 
operations  on  the  lake, 
187. 
victory  on    Lake   Cham- 
plain,  231. 
McGhee,  Lieut.  James,  226. 

wounded,  233. 
McGinnes,   surprises  and  de- 
feats a  party  of  Canadians 
and  Indians,  00. 
lIcGla.s9in,  Capt.,  212,  224. 
surprises  the  English  and 
spikes  their  guns,  225. 
Mcintosh,  Donald,'  91,  97. 
McKav,  Francis,  93. 
McNeil,  Col.  D.  B.,  2 12,  243. 

John,  159. 
Macomb,  Brig.  Gon.,  203,  204, 
207,  210,  211.   212.  213, 
210,  219,  221,  222,  224, 
237,  238,  239,  240. 
prepares  to  resist  the  inva- 
sion of  the  English,  215. 
sent  to  Burlington,  200. 
McPherson,  Capt.,  200,  207. 
wounded,  205. 
Capt.    John,  aid-dc-camp 
to    Gen.    Montgomery, 
killed  at  Quebec,  113. 
Major,  204. 
Madison,  President,  183. 

sends  a  message  to  con- 
gress, 181. 
Mahew,  led  into  an  ambush, 
209. 
shot   by   Forsyth's   men, 
210. 
Maine,  100. 
Mallett's  Bav,  90. 
Mallory,  David,  175. 
Nathaniel,  102. 
Mamerval,  M.  de,  35. 
Manchester,  149. 


i  i 


268 


IKDEX. 


Manlej,  Col.,  245. 
Miinninjr,  Z.,  185. 
Mantt'l,  Lt.  d' Aillcbout  de,  87. 
leads  an  expedition  against 
Schenectady,  30. 
Maquas,  1(1. 
Marble  River,  175. 
Marin,  80. 

saves  Putnam  from  death 
at  the  stake,  81. 
Mason,  311. 
Massachusetts,  39,  00,  04,  81. 

ai)peal  of,  99. 
Ma\u'('pas,  Fredonia,  50. 
Mer  des  Irociuois,  I'i. 
3I('yri('k,  Doctor,  115. 
Miller,  Burnett,  103. 
Col.,  •?24,  345. 
Doctor,  192. 
John,  103. 
Milton,  IHH. 
Minffocs.  10. 
Mwsisc.     iay,  8,  80, 190. 
e.xfcnt  of,  1. 
tributaries  of,  2. 
River,  3. 
Misaissipjii  River,  58. 
Mohawk  Countrv,  39. 

Indians,  7,  i(i,  24,  20,  28, 
31,  38,  lOH. 
enjrage(l  in  war  with  the 

AliicMUiuins,  18. 
sue  for  i)eac(',  37. 
River,  17,  39,  153. 
Monro,  t;ol.,  8;,. 

surrendi-rs  F<>rt  William 
Henry  to  the     rencli,71. 
Mont,  dc,  15. 

Montgomery,  Brig,  uen.,  107, 
109. 
advances  to  the  assault 

of  Quebec,  113. 
deatli  of,  113. 
sails  for  Canada,  108. 
Crov.,  58. 

79,  81. 
attacks    ihe    English    at 

Lake  < '  orge.  09, 70. 
cnueavo..  to  restrain  the 
barbarities  of  the  Indi- 
ans   at    Fort   William 
Henry,  72. 


Montcauin,  'ien 


Montcalm,  Gen.,  letter  to  M. 
deBenyer,  01. 
prepares  to  resist  the  inva- 
sion of  the  English,  75. 
prepares  for  the  aiiproach- 

ing  struggle,  84. 
reinforced  by  M.  de  Levy, 

70. 
sends  Putnam  a  prisoner 
to  Montreal,  82. 
Montigny,  Sieur  de,  30. 

■wounded  at  Schenectady, 
37. 
Montmagnv,  Mcms.  de,  23,  24, 
Montreal,  (4,  10,33,34,  35,30, 
41,43,  43,45,48,  54,09, 
83,91,  93,  93,  94,    104, 
105,   110,  111,  194,  201, 
303,  308,  309,  311. 
council  at,  107. 
island  of,  170. 
surrcnderc'l  bv  Vandreuil 

to  tile  Englisli,  90. 
taken    by     ^lontgomery, 
112. 
Monty,  Francis,  100. 
Moore,  Col.  A.  C,  224,  241, 
343. 
George,  243. 
Gov.,  9. 
Judge  Pliny,  109, 175, 197, 

310. 
Paul,  91, 
Mooers,  347. 

C.  S.,  341,  243. 

Ilazen,  349. 

Lieut.  Col.  Benjamin,  160, 

109.  170,  174.' 
Maj.  Gen.,  319,  235,  230, 
237,238,340,  350. 
Morehtnise,  Jolui,  100. 
Morgan,  William  II.,  341. 
Mothe,  M.  (1<(  la,  7,  24. 
Mott,  Ebenezer,  103. 
Mount  Defiance,    3,  84,  138, 
141,  144,  195. 
Hope,  137,  140,  143,  144, 

149. 
Independence,  10, 118, 133, 
137, 138,  140,  142,  148, 
150,  159. 
Marcy,  11, 12. 


■.jf2»"  ■ 


INDEX. 


269 


li 


Mitrons,  209. 

Murray,    Col.,  191,  193,  193, 
310. 
destroys  public  ai.fl  pri- 
vate J)  r o p c  r 1 3    at 
Plattsburg,  190. 
Qcn.,  90. 
Murry,  Eben,  159. 

NELSON,  Capt.,  surprises  a 
Britisli  i)icket  at  Odlc- 
town,  310. 
Lord,  3Hi>. 
Ncsbit,  Gen.,  117. 
Number  Pour,  89. 
Newcomb,  Cyrenus,  170. 
Kinner,  1(14,  170. 
Zacheus,  103. 
New  England,  33, 39, 67, 69,90, 
111. 
frontier  towns  molested  by 
marauding  parties  from 
Canada,  45. 
Newfoundland,  14. 
New  France,  31,  33,  30. 
New  Hampshire,  45,  04,  66, 07, 
89,  90,  97. 
grants,  91,  i)5,  96. 
settlers      dispute     land 
clainiHwithLt.  Col.  John 
Heed's  tenants,  90,  97. 
New  Jersey,  79,  133,  100. 
New  Orleans,  247. 
Newton,  Marshall,  91. 
Hew  York,  0,  ?,  9, 1 1 ,  33, 83, 30, 
3H,  43, 4.->,  48,57,53,04, 
60,   79,  91,  95,  90,  101, 
103,  110,  134,  183,  180, 
187.  340. 
opens  a  road  from  Al- 
bany to  Lake  Cham- 
plain,  40. 
plan  to  invade,  33. 
Bay,  33. 

colonists,  attempt  to  settle 
the  lantis  lying  be- 
tween the  Hudson 
River  an»1  Lake 
Cliainiilain,  58,  59. 
troubles  amongst,  57. 
Niagara,  01. 

expedition  against,  84. 


Niagara,  Gov.  Shirley's  expe- 
dition against,  00. 

Nicholson,  Col.,  49. 

commands  an  expedition 
against  Canada,  40,  47. 

Nipple  top,  13. 

Noadie,  Capt.,  repulse  of,  334. 

Xorcro.ss,  Samuel,  351. 

North  Hero  Island,  7, 154, 153. 

North  River,  33. 

Northwest  Bay,  4. 

Nose,  The,  13. 

ODLETOWN,  184, 195, 197, 
304,  300,  209,  210,  211, 
314. 

Road,  305. 
Odgensburgh,  9. 
Ogharonde,  40. 
Oghraro,  40. 
Ohio,  58,  00. 
Old  Mansfields  Chin,  12. 
Oneidas,  10,  34,  ?V,  Ut. 
Onondagas,  10. 
Orwell,  1.59. 
Oswald,  Capt.,  105. 
Oswego,  135. 
Ottawa,  River,  33,  51. 
Otter  Creek,  3,  4,53,91,  96,97, 

199, 307,  308. 
Outagamis,  51,  53. 

PALMER,  G.  W.,  241, 243. 
Judge,  193,  347. 
Peters.,  341. 
Pangborn,  John,  91. 
Panton,  50,  91, 130,  352. 
Paradis,  48. 
Paris,  90. 

Parker,  Col.,  attempts  the  re- 
duction of  the  works  at 
Ticonderoga,  69. 
Gen.,  197. 

Lieut.,  wounded,  205. 
Parsons,  101. 
Patridge,  320. 
Patten,  James,  333. 
Paul.  Robert,  170. 

Lieut.  William,  240,  245, 
348. 
killed,  333. 
Pean,  Sieur,  53,  54,  56. 


- 


270 


iNDmx. 


I     ** 


(■■!: 


Peaslee,  Zachcus,  158,  161. 
Periere,  Sieur  de  la,  53,  54. 
Perreaiilt,  Maj.,  197. 
Peru,  162, 171. 
Petit,  Jabcz,  164. 
Pcto\v-par-/.r()W,  13. 
PliiladeliJhia,  1«J5. 
Phillips,  Maj.  Gen.,  117,  134, 

139, 140, 147, 148. 
Phipps,  Sir  William,  40. 

commands  naval  expedi- 
tion against  Quebec,  39. 
Pierce,  Col,  209. 
Pierson,  Moses,  91. 

Tiiomas,  91. 
Pike,  Col.,  184. 
Gen.,  216. 
Pitt,  appoints  Amherst  com- 
mander-in-c  h  i  e  f  o  f  t  h  e 
English  forces  in  Ameri- 
ca, 83. 
Piatt,  Charles,  163,  169,  170, 
228 
Isaac  C,  231. 
Major,  192. 
Moss  K.,  241. 
Capt.  Nathaniel,  163, 175. 
punishes  a  minister  for 
political  heresy,  100. 
Thcodorus,  169,  itO. 
Judge  Zephaniah,  163, 164, 
166, 167,  169, 174. 
Plattsburgh,  7,  159, 163,  164, 
167,  168,  169,  170,  171, 
174,175,  183,  188,   191, 
193,  193,  197,  198,  199, 
202,  203,  207,  208,  211, 
212,  313,  215,  219,  335, 
240,  241,  343,  343,  244, 
245.  347. 
and  its  vicinity,  plan  of, 

218 
battle  of,  335,  336. 
celebration    of  the  anni- 
versary   of   the   battle 
of,  341-248. 
naval  cn^iagement  off,  338, 

329, !?]('. 
public   \\v\  private  prop- 
erty dc'troyed  at  by  the 
English,  190. 
Plumer,  91. 


Point  an  Per,  8,  114,  115, 154, 
175,  198. 

au  Rodie,  160, 161, 193. 

au  Trembles,  112. 
Pointe  a  la  Chevelure,  3. 

Algonquin,  8. 

Regiofiine,  5. 

T>-e;iibleau,6. 
Pope,  Martin,  160. 
Port  Henrv,  4. 

Kent,fe,  10,  11,  41. 
Portuguese,  47. 
Pota-wa-boguc,  12. 
Pottier's  Point,  6,  91. 
Pouglikeepsie,  161,  163,   164, 

1«">7. 
Poultney,  147. 

River,  2. 
Powell,  Brig.  Gen.,  134, 150. 

Maj.,  196. 
Powers,  Maj.  Gen.,  214,  319, 

235 
Pratt,  Major,  killed,  144. 
Premier,  Capt.,  121,  123. 
Prescott,  Maj.  A.  A.,  240. 
Preston,  Maj.,  109,  111. 
Prideaux,  Gen.,    takes    com- 
mand  of   an    expedition 

against  Niagara,  83. 
Princeton,  167. 
Pring,  Capt.,    198,    199,  207, 

308,   315,  235,   336,    337, 

289. 
Pringle,  Capt.    Thomas,  125, 

126,  127. 
Providence  Island,  207. 
Provost,  Sir  George,  199. 
210,  223,  235,  337. 

invades  the  United  States, 
314. 

retreats  to  Canada,  338. 
Purchase,  Capt.  John,  339, 244, 
348. 

killed,  336. 
Putnam,  town  of,  31. 

Capt.  Israel,  66. 

Maj.,  79,  99,139. 
biographical  sketch  of, 

81. 
his  account  of  the  mas- 
sacre at  Fort  William 
Henry,  71. 


INDEX. 


271 


', 


t, 


3- 

u 


) 


Putnam,  Maj.,  in  trouble,  80, 
81. 
informs    Gen.    Webb    of 
the    approach    of  the 
French,  70. 
sent  to  Montreal,  83. 
Putnam's  Point,  132. 


QUEBEC,  14, 17, 18,  22,  23, 
27,  28,  35,  45,  50,  53,  50, 
50.03,109,113,  118,134, 
173,183,203,208,211. 
expeditions  against,  39,  40, 
46,  47,  83,  107. 
Queenstown,  185,  240. 

RAIMBAULT,  M.,  54. 
Rand,  Ephraim,  251. 
Rank,  Lieut.,  224. 
Ransom,  247. 

Lewis,  175. 
Raven  Hill,  13. 

Reed,  Lt.   Col.  John,  dispute 
between  his  tenants  and 
the  New  Hampshire  set- 
tlers, 90, 97. 
Reeves,  Capt.  Simon  R.,163. 
Reine,  M.  la,  70. 
Reynolds,  Lucius,  170. 
Richards,  Capt.,  235. 
Richardson,  Mr.,  91. 
Richelieu  River,  9,   12,  18,  24, 
32,34,  30,  09,  84,   105, 
108,110,   114,   124,  135, 
152,  157,  173,   188,  194, 
198,  204,  207,  308. 
velocity  of,  1. 
Rcidesel,  Maj.  Gen.,  117, 134. 
Riley,  Lt.  Col.  B..  242. 
Riviere  aux  Loutres,  53. 
Chicot,  3. 
des  Irociuois,  13. 
Robart,  Sieur,  54. 
Roberts,  Benjamin,  175. 
Robins(m,  Maj.  Gen.,  314,  219, 

335. 
Rock,  A.,  180. 

Rogers,  Ciipt.   Robert.  50,  53, 
00,  07. 
goes  im  a  scouting  expe- 
dition, 08. 


Rogers,  Maj.,  79,  87. 

commands    an  expedi- 
ition  against  the    St. 
Francis  Indians,  89. 
Piatt,  103. 
Timothy,  159. 
Rottenburgh,  Lieut.  Gen.  de, 

214. 
Rous,  Jacque,  162. 
Rouse's  Point,   102,  188,  198, 
199,  203,  208. 
Bay,  8,  187. 
Rousillon,  M.,  76. 
Rouville,  de,  commands  an  ex- 
pedition against  Deerfield, 
45. 
Royal  Highland  Emigrants,  7. 
Royalton,    Vt.,    attacked    by 

Indians,  153. 
Runk,  Lieut.  Geo.  W.,  239, 341, 

248. 
Rutland,  141. 
Ryswick,  peace  of,  44. 

SABBATH  Day  Point,  73. 
Sacketts  Harbor,  194,195. 
Safford,  Capt.,  219. 
Sailly,    Peter,    104,    108,   109, 

170,  174,  193.  347. 
St  Amand  Bay,  123. 
St.  Charles  River.  14. 
St.  Clair,  Slaj.    Gen.    Arthur, 
142,  147,  253. 
biographical     sketch     of, 

130,  137. 
evacuates      Ticonderoga, 

141. 
retreats  to  Fort  Edward, 

144. 
vindication  of,  145, 140. 
St.  Croix  River,  14, 15. 
St.  Francis  Indians,  their  vil- 
lage   burned    by    Maj. 
Rogers,  89. 
River,  51. 
St.  Helene,  Sieur  la  Moyne  de, 
37. 
CDmman'in  an  expedition 
against  L;d>'^nectadv,36. 
St.  Johns.  8,  10,  51,  50,"  104, 
100,    108,    117,    135,    152, 
157,  203,  208,  209. 


272 


INDEX. 


St.  Johns,  capitulation  of,  HI. 
expedition  against,  105. 
siege  of,  110. 
St.  Lawrence  Uiver,  1,  9, 13, 
14,  15,  10,  18, 31,  34,  40, 
57,80,110,111,113,173, 
170,  185,  104,  201,  202, 
211. 
nortliem  banli  of  lield  by 
tlic  Algonquins,  17. 
St.  Leger,  Col.,  135. 
St.  Miclicl's  Island,  0.  See  Crab 

Jdund. 
Saintonge,  15. 
St.  Regis,  177,  203. 
utfair  at,  185. 
bell  of  secreted,  45. 
Indians,  176. 
reservation,  176. 
River,  90. 
St.  Roche,  113, 113. 
St.  Theresa,  9, 24,  25. 
St.  Vincent,  Sieur,  53,  54. 
Salaberry,  Maj.,  184. 
Salasanac  River,  7.  See  Saranae 

likcr. 
Salem,  81,  95. 
Salieres,  M.  de,  24. 
Salmon  Fi«ll8,dr3truction  of,  35. 

River,  3, 215,  235,  350. 
Sampson,  314. 
Saranae  River,  3,  7,  94,  160, 

104,315,335,835,249. 
Saratoga,  154. 

battle  of,  151. 
Sarre,  M.  la,  75,  76. 
Savage,  Mr.,  334. 
Saxe,  Judge,  his  store  burned, 
193. 
Marshal,  63. 
Saxton,  Frederick,  158. 
Buamau,  Capt.,  131. 
Hchank,  Lieut.,  134. 
Schenectady,  25,  36,  31,  36,  38, 
30,43,311,213. 
burned,    and   inhabitants 
massacred,  37. 
Schoharie,  153. 

Schuyler,  Capt.  Abram,  leads 
a  scouting  party  of  Indi- 
ans against  the'French  at 
Chambly,38. 


Schuyler,  Capt.  Abram,  order- 
ed to  take  i)ost  at  Otter 
Creek,  38. 
Capt.  John,  40. 
attacks  Fort  Laprairie, 

41. 
dissatisfied  with  council 

of  war,  39. 
retreats  to  Albany,  42. 
Col.  Peter,  47. 
induces    tlie   Five  Na- 
tions to  take  the  field 
against    the   French, 
40. 
Maj.    Philip,  attacks  and 
carries  Fort  Laprairie, 
43. 
engages  the  French  in 
battle ;  retreats  to  Al- 
bany, 43. 
Maj.  Gen.,  107,  109,  122, 
130,  142, 146, 163,  254. 
joins  Montgomery  at  Isle 

la  Motte,  108. 
vindication  of,  144,  145, 
146. 
Island,  6, 121, 129,  253. 
Schuylerville,  46. 
Scotland,  58,  91. 
Scott,  Lieut.,  124. 
Seneca  Indians,  16. 
Seven    Nations    of    Canada, 

176. 
Schaffer,  Mr.  George,  172. 
Shelburne  or  Shelbum,  91, 158. 

Bay,  0. 
Sheldon,  Joseph,  160. 
Shirley,  Governor,  commands 
an  expedition  against  Ni- 
agara, 60. 
Shoreham,  91, 102. 
Sinclair,  John,  wounded,  233. 
Six  Nations,  58,  60,  62, 107. 
Ska-ne-togh-ro-wah-na,  12. 
Skene,  Col.,  148. 

Maj.  Philip,  94,  95, 102. 
establishes    the    settle- 
ment   of    Skeuesbo- 
rough,  2. 
project  to  form  a  new 

province,  98. 
taken  prisoner,  104. 


INDEX. 


273 


Skene,  Mrs.,  body  of  foimcl  in  a 

cellar,  104. 
Skenesborougli,  2,  4,  93,  90, 
102,  105,  108,  118,  140, 
141,142,145,148,149. 
expedition  ngninst,  102. 
surprise  of,  104. 
Skinner,  Muj.,  250. 

Maj.  Gen.,  241,  242,  243, 

245,  240. 
St.  John  B.  L.,  222. 
Slop  Island,  5. 
Smith,  Benjamin,  103. 

Brig.  General,    204,   208, 

209. 
Capt.,  216,  235. 
Israel,  103. 
John,  163. 
Justin,  180. 

ColonelMelancton  (Judge), 
163, 165,  160,  108,  210, 
247. 
biographical  sketch  of, 
104. 
Orange,  158. 
Pliny,  159. 
Samuel,  01,103. 
Sarah,  106. 

Lieut.  Sidney,  187,  188. 
Smithtown,  107. 
SmoUet,  Mr.,  90. 
Soper,  Amos,  222. 

Moses,  l'!4,  170. 
Sorrel,  M.  dc,  24, 135. 
fort  built  by,  10. 
invades    the     Mohawk 
country,  28. 
River,  9. 
South  Bay,  1,  3,  4,  62,  63,  64, 

67, 142. 
Spafford,  Amos,  150. 
Spaniards,  tradition  concern- 
ing ;  give  a  name  to  Cana- 
da, 16. 
Spaulding,  Timothy,  91. 
Specht,     Brigadier     General, 

134. 
Split  Rock,  4,  5,  11,  129,  252. 
Englisii  defeat  the  Ameri- 
cans at,  130. 
Springer,  Lieut.,  246. 
Sproul,  Capt.,  212,  221. 

35 


Sproul,  Captain,  advances  to 
Chazy  village  and  en- 
frenches  himself,  216. 
Squires,  Odle,  91. 
Stadacona,  14, 15. 
Stafford,  Mr.,  249,  250. 
Standish,  Lieut.  M.  M.,  219. 
Stansbury,  Lieut.    Jolm,  233, 

234,  240,  245,  248. 
Stanton,  John,  162. 
Stark,   Gen.  John    (formerly 
Colonel  and  Captain), 
defeats  Col.  Baum  at 
Bennington,  151. 
journeys  to  Boston  in 

his  shirt  sleeves,  99. 
repulses     French    and 
Indians  at  Fort  "Wil- 
liam Henry,  69. 
short  biography  of,  68, 
69. 
Molly,  69. 
Starke,  Lieut.,  124. 
Stave  Island,  154. 
Stei)lien8on,  John,  170. 

Jonathan,  170. 
Stillwater,  146,  161. 

battle  of,  151. 
Stone,  Philip,  01. 

Roby  G.,  242,  243. 
TlKtmas,  103. 
Storrs,  Lieut.  Col.,  210. 
Stowc,  Jeremiah,    house  and 

farm  pillaged,  193. 
Strong,  Maj.   Gen.  John,  91, 

237,  24(J. 
Sullivan,  Gen.,  8,  93,  114,  115. 
takes    command    of  the 
American  army,  114. 
Sumpter,  Lieut.,  230. 
Swanton,  Vt.,  3;i. 

English  burn  barracks 
and  pl'.mder  citizens 
at,  193, 
Falls,  90. 
Swartout,  Jacobus  S.,  103. 


TADOUSSAC,  15. 
Talon,  M.,  30. 
Tappan,  Peter,  103. 
Thacher,  Capt.,  123. 


274 


INDEX. 


Thaclicr,  Doctor,  4,  90. 
TlmyeiKiancgca  (Brant),  154. 
Thomas,  Gen.,  death  ol",  114. 

JoHfph.  224. 
Thompson,  Abel,  159. 
Thompson's  l'.)int,  5. 
Thornton,  Capt.,  4,  207. 
Thnu  Milu  Creek,  139. 

Point,  laa. 
Three  Rivers,  17,  35,  89. 
Ticonderoirii,  1,  3,  4,  6, 11,  21, 
43,  50,  03,  08,  70,  72,  75, 
«         80,  88,  95,  08,  102,  105, 
100,  107,  108,  111,  110, 
118,  121,  122,  123,  124, 
181,  132,   133,  135,  138, 
142,  143,  144,  145,  148, 
150, 152, 153, 154, 155. 
and  its  dependencies,  plan 

of,  119. 
condition  of  the  American 

army  at,  133. 
cva(!uation  of  by  Gen.  St. 

Clair,  141. 
expedition  against,  101. 
fortified  by  the   French, 

07. 
Lincoln's     expedition 

against,  149. 
plan  of  the  attack  by  Gen. 

Abercrombie,  78. 
surprise  of,  104. 
Tlconderogue,  pass  of,  63. 
Titus,  Benjamin,  163. 
Tom,  Nathaniel,  163. 
Tompkins,  Gov.,  194. 
Tottcn,  Col.,  207,  208. 
Towner,  Mr.,  91. 
Tracy,  M.  de,  23,  24,  27,  28,  30, 
31. 
bums  a  Mohawk  village, 

31. 
collects  a  large  army  at 
Isle  la  Motte,  29. 
Traverse,  channel  of,  48. 
Travesv,  Capt.  de,  killed  by 

Indians,  28. 
Travis,  Melancton  W.,  222. 
Treadwell,     Judge    'Thomas, 
103,  164. 167. 
house  and  farm  pillaged, 
193. 


Trembleau  Point,  11. 

Trepezdc,  Capt.  de,  70. 

Tro\vl)ridge,  .James,  223. 

Trumbull,  Col.  John,  113, 115, 
138. 
Gov.  182. 

Tn-on,  Uov..  12,  95. 

Tubbs,  Hinu.ou,  158. 

Turks,  23. 

TuHcarcruri,  58. 

driven  from  the  south  by 
tiie  English;  admitted  to 
the  Confederacy,  16. 

Tuttle,  .1.  W.  241. 

Twiss,  Lieut.,  140. 

Tyler,  Joseph,  102. 


UNITED    STATES,   diffi- 
culties with  Great  Britan, 
178. 
proclaim    war    against 
Great  Britain,  182. 
Upper  Canada,  183. 
Utrecht,  treaty  of,  48,  57. 


VALCOUR  ISLAND,  6, 89, 
92,  123,    161,  207,  254. 
battle  of,  125, 126. 
French  driven  to  the  shel- 
ter of,  88. 
mnp  of  the  battle  of,  128. 
Valeur  Island,  6.    See  Valcour 

Island. 
Vallerennes,    il.  de,  engages 
Maj.  Schuyler  in    battle, 
43. 
Vallette,  Mr.,  234. 
Van  Rensselaer,  Stephen,  171. 
Varick,  Itichard,  176. 
Vaudreuil,  M.  de,  56,  65. 

sends  forces  to  oppose  the 
advance  of  Nicholson's 
aimy,  46,  47. 
strengthens     defenses    at 
Quebec  and  returns  to 
the  defense  of  Montreal, 
47,  48. 
surrenders    Montreal    to 
the  English,  90. 
Vaughan,  Capt.,  224. 


INDEX. 


275 


s 


"  t;    .  < 


to 


VerpcnncB,  4,  91,  207. 
Vermont,  7,  8,  «,  IC,  45,  40,  50, 
101. 
admitted  into  the  Union, 

157. 
patriotism  of  its  inhabit- 
nntH,  288. 
Victory,  Mr.,  91. 
Vinson,  Maj.,  210. 


WAIT,  Maj.,  150. 
Roswcll,  224. 
Waiti',  Ciipt.  C.  A.,  243. 
Walker,  Hcnjamin,  163. 

Sir  Ilovedon,  convoys  na- 
val expedition    against 
Quebec,  47. 
Walworth,  Chancellor,  230. 

Hiram,  222. 
Warner,  Capt.,  123. 

Col.  Seth,  07, 101, 102,  lOa, 

149. 
repulses  Carlcton  at  Lon- 

gueuil.  111. 
sent  against  Crown  Point, 
104. 
Warren  county,  288. 
Washington,  211. 
county,  238. 
Gen.,  145. 
Waterbury,  Brig.    Gen.,  123, 

253,  254. 
Waterlbrd,  22. 
Watson,  James,  176. 
Wayne,  Col,  118,  138. 
Webb,  Derrick  (Derick),  159, 
164. 
Gen.,  72,  83. 
comnutnds  the  provin- 
cial troops  at  Fort  Ed- 
ward; sends  Col.Mon- 
ro  to     reinforce  and 
take  command  of  the 
garrison      at     Lake 
George,  70. 
refuses  to  send  assistance 
to  Fort  William  Hen- 
ry, 71. 
Weed,  R.  A.,  241. 
Wellington,  237. 
Welsh,  58. 


West,  Lieut.  John,  230. 
severely  wounded,  220. 
Morlah  range,  11. 
Point,  113,  174. 
Westchester  county,  105. 
Western  iro(iuolH,'31,  32. 
Westport,  4,  10. 
Westropp,  Capt.  L.,  239. 

severely  wounded,  220. 
White  Face  (Mt.),  11,12. 
White  House,  used  as  a  British 

militarvpost,  8. 
Whitehall,"l,2,3,  40. 
Whitney,  Lieut.  Col.,  47,  64. 
Wigglesworth,  Col.,  120,  129. 
Wileo.x,  James,  102. 
Wilkinson,  Maj.  Gen.  James, 
201,  202,  203,  200,  207, 
208. 
assumes  command  of  the 
northern      department, 
194. 
sends  forces  to  the  fron- 
tier, 198. 
Williams,  Flavins,  222. 

Lieut.  Col.  Ephraim,  65, 
00, 203. 
makes    his  Avill ;  is  de- 
feated   and   slain    at 
Lake  George,  64. 
College,  64. 
Williamstown,  64. 
Willington,Capt.  James,  killed, 
239. 
Lt.  Col,  220,  243,  244, 248. 
Willsborough,    159,  170,  171, 

252. 
Windmill  Point,  9,  50,    121, 
122, 172. 
abandoned  by  the  French, 
8. 
Winooski  River,  2,  7,  45,  53, 
104, 181. 
falls  of,  98, 158. 
Bettlement   ai  lower  falls 
of,  92. 
Winthrop,    Maj.  Gen.    John, 
takes  command  of  an  e.x- 
pedition  against   Canada; 
proceeds  as  far  as  Wood 
Creek ;    returns  and  dis- 
bands his  army,  39. 


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MDEX. 


Witherspoon,  Rev.  Mr.,  243, 

246. 
Wolfe,  Gen.,  113. 

takes  command  of  an  ex- 
pedition   against  Que- 
bec, 83. 
Wolfe's  cove,  112. 
Wood  Creek,  2,  C,  4,  32,  39, 
42,  49,  62,  80,  94, 142, 
147. 
forts  built  by  the  New 
York  colonists  on,  46. 
Indians     supposed    to 
have  poisoned,  47. 
Enos,  158. 
Ira  A.,  222. 
Woodbridge,  Col.,  149. 
Wool,  Brig.  Gen.,   243,   343, 
244,  246. 
Maj.,  221. 


Wool.  Maj.,  skirmishes  with 

the  English,  220. 
Woolcut,  Elijah,  159. 
Woolsey,  Lieut.  Melancton  T., 

170,  179. 
Melancton   L.,  164,    169, 

170. 
Wooster,  101. 

Wright,  Brig.  Gen.,  235, 237. 
Wyandots,  51. 
Wynkoop,  Capt.,  121. 


YATES,  Robert,  168. 
Young,  Maj.,  185. 
surprises  a  party  of  Bri- 
tish at  St.  Regis,  185. 
St.  George,  157. 
Yroquois,  12.    See  Iroquoia. 


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